CAIRO: The Moroccan embassy in Cairo refused to issue an entry visa to rights activist and head of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) Gamal Eid on Thursday, without giving a reason.
In a statement released Thursday, ANHRI said the Moroccan government has denied Eid entrance. Employees at the embassy told him there is no visa here for you, the statement read.
Eid was scheduled to attend a joint meeting between Arab rights organizations and a Danish rights group but he was surprised to find that his visa request was rejected.
The Moroccan embassy s refusal to issue Eid s visa comes after he was denied entrance to both Jordan and Tunisia, making Morocco the third Arab country to ban him from entering.
According to Eid, this clear stance is a result of his organization s support for freedom of the press and freedom of expression, ideas that are violated in all three countries, along with other Arab countries.
“I wasn t surprised that I was denied entrance to Tunisia and Jordan. Tunisia is competing with Saudi Arabia for the title of The no.1 enemy of freedom of the press in the Arab world while Jordan expected us [ANHRI] to cover up for its freedom of expression violations. But it came as a shock that Morocco denied us entry, Eid told Daily News Egypt.
“We thought – and still do – that even though Morocco forces a clampdown on free speech, lawyers and civil society have created a space to openly criticize the government without resorting to such measures, he added.
Eid has been to Morocco several times in the past, last of which was this past November.
Although the embassy did not indicate its reasons for denying Eid entry, according to ANHRI s statement, it s because the network is an advocate and defender of freedom of expression and freedom of the press and does not complement anyone.
“Even though we are very upset with what happened and we wish that this incident does not repeat itself, we will not stop supporting freedom of expression and freedom of the press; we will not refrain from condemning any violations with as much fierceness as the violation itself.
“Freedom of the press is the basic right of every citizen that needs to respected and defended, and not provided by the government, the statement read.
