Solidarity with the Democratic Way as Moroccan regime attempts to stop its Fifth National Congress
The Moroccan political party Democratic Way (DW) has been subjected to various kinds of harassment and restrictions by the Moroccan royal regime which is attempting to prevent it from holding its Fifth National Congress. This is only the latest chapter in a long campaign of repression and intimidation waged against the organization by the Moroccan State.
Democratic Way’s fifth national congress, originally planned for 2020, first had to be postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown in the country. New efforts to host the congress since January 2022, have been frustrated by the Ministry of Interior which has been denying access to venues such as the public Hassan II University in Casablanca. The party planned to hold its Fifth National Congress from July 22, to 24, 2022, however, its requests to host the activity in a number of locations including public halls have all been rejected.
In a press conference in Rabat on June 8, 2022, the DW leadership cited various restrictions they have been subjected to. These included “the deprivation of halls and public spaces to organize educational activities and youth camps, preventing the party from accessing the public media and depriving the youth, women and workers sectors access to public halls to hold their conferences or activities.” The party has even been prohibited from hanging banners on public premises and has had visas denied to its guests such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Zambian Socialist Party and the Socialist Revolutionary Party of South Africa.
The campaigns to boycott the elections in the country are also suppressed through violence, arrests, and the constant harassment of many of the Democratic Way activists. The party also denounced the “arrest, trial, and issuance of unfair sentences against some of its members, due to their struggle for just causes and their support for victims of human rights violations”.
Democratic Way members suffer persecution in their daily lives, both through “black lists” created by local authorities and factory and farm owners to deny them their right to work, and through pressure on families to dissuade their sons and daughters from joining the party.
As the International Peoples’ Assembly we consider this continuous harassment and intimidation as blatant and serious violations of human and political rights, and all basic rights and freedoms. We express our solidarity and support to the Democratic Way in its construction of a democratic society that puts an end to capitalism and human exploitation.
