Tangier, Morocco – Detained activist Nasser Zefzafi, through a message purportedly relayed by his brother Tariq on social media, has launched a scathing attack on Abdelilah Benkirane, former Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD). The message, allegedly penned from Tangier prison, accuses Benkirane of acting as an unauthorized spokesperson for Moroccan institutions.
The strongly worded statement condemns what it describes as Benkirane’s hypocrisy and political opportunism. According to the message, Zefzafi views remaining imprisoned rather than bowing to those who exploit the people’s causes as an act of dignity and unwavering principle.
The message labels Benkirane a “mouthpiece” and a “traitor to the nation and the people,” citing his repeated interventions in matters outside his purview, behaving as if he were the official voice of the Royal Palace or a guardian of the Moroccan people.
The statement pointedly recalls Benkirane’s tenure as Prime Minister, a period marked by alleged suffering and torture of Hirak movement activists, while Benkirane was supposedly focused on defending his position and engaging in political maneuvering. The message questions how someone who held a position of power during the suppression of the Hirak could now presume to lecture prisoners on whom they should thank.
The controversy stems from Benkirane’s remarks during a party meeting on December 13th, where he criticized Nasser Zefzafi for thanking prison authorities for allowing him to attend his father’s funeral, lamenting that he hadn’t thanked the King. The message denounces this as a cynical exploitation of a painful moment – the death of a father – for cheap political gain and to appear more loyal.
The message concludes by questioning whether this is the political decorum espoused by the PJD, attacking a man who was briefly released from prison to bid farewell to his father for the last time.
