Ten Years On, Six Rif Leaders Remain Behind Bars as Region's Demands Go Unmet

Six prominent figures from the 2016 Rif protest movement remain imprisoned in Morocco as the country marks the tenth anniversary of the uprising this Wednesday. The detention of these leaders, including movement head Nasser Zefzafi, stands as a stark reminder of the state's long-standing suppression of the region's grievances regarding poverty and underdevelopment.

The unrest began after fishmonger Mouhcine Fikri was crushed to death in a garbage truck in Al Hoceima on October 28, 2016, while attempting to reclaim his confiscated catch. Authorities initially tolerated the demonstrations for several months before launching a crackdown in late May 2017 that resulted in hundreds of arrests. Moroccan historian Maati Monjib described the event as one of the most significant social movements since King Mohammed VI took the throne in 1999.

The state’s response escalated on July 20, 2017, when riot police used tear gas and batons in Al Hoceima, severely injuring 22-year-old Imad el-Attabi. He died the following month. This crackdown triggered solidarity protests across the kingdom during the summer of 2017. Authorities labeled the movement separatist, a claim Monjib dismissed as false accusations designed to discredit the protesters' economic demands.

Nabil Ahamjik, who served a central role in the movement, has been serving a 20-year sentence since his arrest in 2017. Currently held in Tangier, Ahamjik has continued his education from his cell, writing a master's thesis on the Rif’s relationship with the state. He earned an 18 out of 20 score from Mohammed I University in Oujda. Last month, he began a 10-day hunger strike after prison officials denied him adequate space to work on his doctoral studies.

The repression extended beyond the local streets to the diaspora. Said El Amrani, a digital creator and former journalist living in Belgium, noted that at least 11 activists have been arrested upon arrival in Morocco since the movement began. Two were sentenced to prison, and one remains jailed. El Amrani said the region now hosts at least five new police stations built in the decade since the protests.

Economic frustrations in the Rif persist despite national growth. Youth unemployment in the region stands at 37 percent, and the area has the highest number of cancer patients in Morocco, a toll linked to chemical weapons used by Spain during the 1921 to 1926 Rif War. While the state opened a new university faculty and built a hospital, El Amrani argues that medical staff shortages and a lack of jobs continue to drive young Moroccans toward Europe.

The memory of the uprising has gained new relevance amid recent political turbulence. During last year's Gen Z protests, 6,000 people were arrested, and approximately 700 remain in jail, according to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights. This includes dozens of minors. Monjib said the core pursuit of equality endures, driven by a desire for dignity and equal recognition for Moroccans in the Rif and elsewhere.