Denmark ordered the immediate deportation of a Moroccan activist and cartoonist, Abdelali Achahbi, also known as “crabman,” after the Nordic country refused his asylum request.
Achahbi is well-known for his political satire on social media giant Youtube, which is directed at the Moroccan monarchy.
35-year-old Achahbi is an artist and a programmer who has been residing in Denmark since 2010.
Following the Arab Spring, he co-founded a republican movement spearheaded by Moroccan expatriates living abroad. He began criticizing Moroccan politics and the regime on his Facebook page, which he says has over 120,000 subscribers. His Youtube channel, on the other hand, has over 30,300 followers, Spanish news outlet Larazone says.
In recent years, the Moroccan activist Achahbi has risen to prominence through his short 3D animated films about Morocco’s political climate, human rights violations, and the ruling Alaouite family.
“In Morocco, we have an absolutist monarchy, you cannot criticize the king,” the activist stated, further deploring the human rights violations in the Kingdom, including freedom of expression.
Therefore, Achahbi alleges that he has been a target of a violent campaign for several years. Various accusations are being leveled against him, making him out to be a “traitor” to his country, a “separatist” supporter, and even insulting him of being a “homosexual,” which is punishable under Moroccan law.
Two months ago, the Danish immigration authorities rejected his asylum application despite all this evidence. As grounds for rejection, the government claims Achahbi left Morocco without problems, that his asylum application dates from 2020 and that his social media activities are not so threatening as to risk jail time if he returns.
These are all “assumptions,” the Danish authorities ruled.
Refugee Commission officials, who ordered Abdelali Achahbi’s expulsion, initially claimed he had not complied with the procedure and that he had failed to submit his file to the Herning police agency in time for the April 2020 asylum application deadline, says the same source.
“I feel abandoned. I am well integrated into Danish society, I believe in its values. I am not Muslim, I do not have values in common with the Moroccan State,” justifies Achahbi.
The Danish Foreign Minister, who visited Morocco last summer to discuss immigration policy, has suggested Morocco as a potential destination for asylum seekers seeking asylum outside its borders.
The lawyer for Achahbi appealed his case before the Refugee Appeal Board, introducing new evidence such as the allegations of treason brought against him by Najib Addadi, a writer linked to the Moroccan Ministry of Interior, according to the documentation sent to the Danish authorities, EFE news agency reported.
As part of the proceedings to reopen the case, the appeal includes a news article calling Achahbi an Algerian agent.
Anyone who wants to be famous starts by attacking the monarchy and claim they are not Muslims. The poor guy thought that Danish authority would show compassion when he stated he was well integrated in their society and that has been targeted by the Moroccan authorities. He realizes now he was daydreaming.
The real opponents are those who fight from inside, recognize what we achieved and fight for improvement. Monarchy is a must for stability and unity.
I have seen here in US some stupid so-called republicans who have problems resolving small issue in their day to day life. Was wondering how they could resolve big issues of a nation.
Morocco is not a paradise and we still have a long way to make to achieve perfection. But still whatever the situation is, we need not to stab the nation in the back.
Happy for what is being achieved now and expecting more for a brighter future.
No heart feeling M. The opponent in Denmark!