Urgent appeal for moroccan filmmaker and rapper el mahdi lyoubi’s release
Immediate action required: Moroccan artist El Mahdi Lyoubi remains detained without clear charges
The international artistic and human rights community is sounding the alarm over the continued detention of El Mahdi Lyoubi, a celebrated Moroccan filmmaker and musician, who has been held incommunicado since mid-July 2026. The circumstances surrounding his arrest and the lack of transparency from Moroccan authorities have raised serious concerns about the state of artistic freedom and freedom of expression in the country.
From Salé to Marseille: A career built on artistic integrity
Born in 1992 in Salé and based in Marseille since 2017, Lyoubi trained at the prestigious La Fémis film school. His documentary short film “Marseille, 14 juillet” has earned international acclaim, screening at prestigious festivals including New Directors-New Films (MoMA, New York), Sheffield DocFest, and the Cannes-associated Festival franco-arabe de Noisy-le-Sec. Currently developing his first feature-length documentary — a project supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) — he is also a prominent figure in Morocco’s music scene under the moniker Mehdi Black Wind. His work consistently addresses themes of social justice and freedom of expression, resonating particularly with younger audiences. In September 2025, he performed before an audience of over 50,000 at Casablanca’s L’Boulevard festival.
Detention under mysterious circumstances
On July 10, 2026, as Lyoubi prepared to return to Marseille following a family visit and research for his upcoming documentary, he was informed at Rabat-Salé airport that he was prohibited from leaving Morocco. No reasons were provided for this travel ban. Denied boarding to France, he was escorted to the police station in Salé, where officers could not clarify the decision and simply handed him a summons to appear before the National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ) in Casablanca on July 13.
After hours of questioning, he was placed in custody that same evening. His family only learned of his arrest late and informally, with vague references to social media posts as potential grounds for detention. Initially scheduled to appear before a prosecutor on July 15, his case was delayed multiple times amid a sweeping lawyers’ strike that prevented legal representation. Currently held in Oukacha prison in Casablanca, Lyoubi awaits a hearing now postponed to July 22. His lawyers have been denied access to his case file, and even family visits have been blocked.
Part of a troubling pattern of artistic repression
Lyoubi’s case is not isolated. Since late 2025, Morocco has seen a disturbing rise in prosecutions against artists for their creative work. Rapper Jawad Asradi (Pause Flow) was arrested in November 2025 over lyrics deemed offensive, sentenced to three months suspended prison time in June 2026 for insulting a constituted body. Rapper Hamza Raid received a six-month suspended sentence in Casablanca. In March 2026, 20-year-old rapper Souhaib Qabli was handed eight months in prison for insulting a constitutional institution and spreading false information. In February 2026, film distributor Zineb Kharroubi was sentenced to six months suspended prison for allegedly inciting crimes via electronic means.
These cases, though varied in nature, collectively signal a dangerous trend: the escalating criminalization of artistic expression. Yet Article 25 of Morocco’s Constitution explicitly guarantees freedom of thought, opinion, and expression in all forms. This constitutional protection, combined with Morocco’s international human rights obligations, makes Lyoubi’s detention all the more alarming.
These developments occur against the backdrop of the GenZ 212 protest movement, which emerged in late 2025 and gained significant traction on social media. The movement’s demands centered on access to healthcare and education, anti-corruption measures, and freedom of expression — precisely the values Lyoubi’s work champions.
Calls for immediate release and due process
A broad coalition of cultural institutions, professional associations, journalists, academics, writers, artists, and human rights defenders — including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) — has issued an urgent appeal to Moroccan authorities, demanding:
- Full compliance with Morocco’s Constitution and international human rights obligations, ensuring Lyoubi’s procedural rights are respected;
- An immediate review of all restrictive measures against him to verify their legal basis, legitimacy, and proportionality;
- Strict adherence to fair trial guarantees and constitutional protections for human rights;
- Strengthened protections for artists and cultural actors to freely exercise their professions and engage in public debate;
- Unconditional and immediate release of El Mahdi Lyoubi.
The signatories remain vigilant and open to constructive dialogue with relevant authorities to resolve this situation in accordance with the rule of law.
