urgent appeal for immediate release of detained filmmaker and rapper El Mahdi Lyoubi in Morocco

The detention of Moroccan filmmaker and musician El Mahdi Lyoubi since July 13, 2026, following a travel ban with undisclosed reasons, has triggered widespread concern over artistic freedom and free expression in Morocco. A coalition of human rights defenders, cultural institutions, professional associations, journalists, academics, literary figures, and artists is demanding his immediate release.

a rising figure in cinema and music

Born in Salé in 1992, El Mahdi Lyoubi moved to Marseille in 2017 after training at the prestigious La Fémis film school. His acclaimed short documentary “Marseille, 14 juillet” has been featured in major international festivals, including New Directors/New Films at MoMA (New York), Sheffield DocFest, Kerala International Film Festival, and the Franco-Arab Film Festival in Noisy-le-Sec. His first feature-length documentary, supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), is currently in production.

Beyond cinema, Lyoubi is also known in Morocco’s music scene as Mehdi Black Wind. Since the early 2010s, his work has consistently addressed social justice and freedom of expression. In September 2025, he performed at the L’Boulevard festival in Casablanca, drawing a crowd of over 50,000.

arbitrary detention and lack of transparency

On July 10, 2026, as Lyoubi prepared to return to Marseille after a family visit and research for his documentary, he was informed at Rabat-Salé Airport that he was barred from leaving the country—with no explanation provided. Prevented from boarding his flight to France, he was taken to the Salé police station, where officials could not clarify the decision and instead issued him a summons to appear before the Brigade nationale de la police judiciaire (BNPJ) in Casablanca on July 13.

After a full day of questioning, he was placed in police custody that evening. His relatives were only informed informally, and belatedly, that the arrest might be linked to his social media posts—with no further details. He was presented to the prosecutor on July 15 and subsequently remanded in custody at Oukacha prison pending a hearing scheduled for July 22. This process unfolds amid a nationwide lawyers’ strike, preventing his legal team from meeting with him or accessing his case file. His family has also been denied visitation rights.

a troubling pattern targeting artistic expression

Lyoubi’s case is not isolated. Since late 2025, Morocco has seen a surge in prosecutions and convictions of artists for their creative works or public statements. Rapper Jawad Asradi (Pause Flow) was arrested in November 2025 and initially held in pretrial detention for the content of his songs, later receiving a suspended three-month sentence for insulting a constituted body—a verdict confirmed on appeal in June 2026. Rapper Hamza Raid was similarly detained in Casablanca and handed a six-month suspended sentence. In March 2026, Souhaib Qabli, a 20-year-old rapper, was sentenced to eight months in prison for insulting a constitutional institution and spreading false information. In February 2026, film distributor Zineb Kharroubi received a six-month suspended sentence for inciting crimes via electronic means.

While each case varies in specifics, they collectively reflect a dangerous trend: the criminalization of artistic expression. This contradicts Article 25 of Morocco’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, opinion, and expression in all forms. It also clashes with the Kingdom’s international commitments. The signatories emphasize that freedom of expression and artistic creation are cornerstones of cultural vitality and democratic life.

demands for justice and accountability

The ongoing GenZ 212 protest movement—largely organized online—has highlighted demands for better healthcare, education, anti-corruption measures, and freedom of expression since late 2025.

The coalition calls on Moroccan authorities to:

• Ensure El Mahdi Lyoubi’s full procedural rights under Moroccan law and international obligations, including full access to legal representation;
• Review without delay any restrictions on his liberty or movement to ensure they are legally justified, proportionate, and necessary;
• Guarantee his case is handled in full compliance with fair trial standards and Morocco’s constitutional and international human rights obligations;
• Strengthen protections for artists, creators, and cultural actors to freely engage in public debate while respecting diversity and pluralism in artistic expression;
• Release El Mahdi Lyoubi immediately and unconditionally.

The signatories remain vigilant and open to constructive dialogue with competent authorities to resolve this matter.