International leftist and human rights organizations, in a joint statement issued by the International People's Assembly (IPA) and several bodies from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, strongly condemned what they described as the "escalating repression against young protesters in Morocco," calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to what they termed the "systematic repression of civil liberties."
The statement, published on October 7, 2025, on the IPA website under the title "Release the Political Prisoners and End the Repression Immediately," came in the context of a wave of widespread protests that swept through several Moroccan cities in recent weeks, led by the Generation Z movement. These protests raised slogans denouncing the deterioration of the health and education sectors, the rising cost of living, and what they considered "corruption and a lack of social justice."
The document indicated that the authorities responded to these movements with "excessive violence and arbitrary arrests," arguing that this approach "contributed to the expansion of the protests rather than containing them." The statement also held the government responsible for “misplacing national priorities,” at a time when “huge sums are being spent on sporting events and ostentatious projects, while citizens live under the pressure of unemployment and inadequate basic services.”
The statement was signed by more than 70 organizations from 35 countries, including CODEPINK (USA), the Landless Workers Movement (MST) in Brazil, the European Left Party, and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), in addition to Moroccan bodies such as the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, the National Union of Education – Democratic Orientation, the Democratic Workers' Path Party, and the Socialist Popular Alliance Party.
The signatory organizations affirmed that “the mass arrests and the absence of dialogue reflect a lack of genuine political will to resolve the crisis,” considering that the authorities “are resorting to a security crackdown instead of a political solution.”
The document called for the release of all political prisoners and those detained during the demonstrations, and an end to what it described as “violence, trials, and intimidation against peaceful protesters,” while emphasizing the need to “guarantee fundamental freedoms and the right to protest, expression, and assembly.”
The statement concluded by affirming that “the struggle of the Moroccan people for dignity and social justice is part of the struggle of oppressed peoples worldwide,” declaring the solidarity of international organizations with Moroccan human rights movements, and reiterating the call for “an immediate end to repression and the release of all detainees.”
