Brahim Saadoun, the Moroccan student detained by pro-Russian forces in Donbass, “does not have Ukrainian citizenship,” assured the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) today in a press conference.
The head of the AMDH Aziz Ghali revealed that Saadoun has a residency permit, set to expire on August 31st, 2024, “which he would not have had if he was a Ukrainian citizen.”
Ghali said that his association is following the developments of Saadoun’s case, within the framework of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty.
In support of his argument, Ghali said that “Morocco is not among the countries included in the list published by Russian authorities regarding African foreign fighters on Ukrainian territory.”
In addition, Ghali specified that “the list includes Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Gabon, Liberia, and Equatorial Guinea,” adding that there is no mention of Moroccan foreign fighters in Ukraine.
“We have yet reached a small win, as a coalition of lawyers against the death will attend Saadoun’s appeal trial,” announced Ghali, adding that alongside Moroccan lawyers, some European lawyers may also attend, although they are unlikely to plead his case.
The head of the AMDH acknowledged the Moroccan Center for Human Rights’ (CNDH) efforts to try and contribute to helping Saadoun, by contacting Russian human rights associations to try and collaborate in helping the Moroccan student.
Last week, Amina Bouayach, President of the CNDH, stressed that the council is strengthening its efforts to protect the right of Moroccan citizen Ibrahim Saadoun to life.
The president said that “the CNDH has contacted the National Institution for Human Rights in Russia, in order to intervene as much as possible to protect the rights of the Moroccan citizen.”
The human rights advocate added that “the council requested the Russian institution to make all efforts in order for Ibrahim Saadoun to benefit from a fair trial during the appeal, and to communicate with the concerned parties in order to see the conditions of his arrest and respect international standards.”
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