Moroccan-born Imam Hassan Iquioussen is subject to a European arrest warrant after escaping French authorities, who ordered his deportation to Morocco.
French media outlets indicat that “the fugitive imam has become the subject of a European arrest warrant,” especially after suspicion of him taking asylum in Belgium.
The Imam is a social media personality who uses the platforms to preach islamic practices, which he maintains are “moderate.“ However, his videos prompted the French Ministry of the Interior to expel him from the country.
The 58 years-old Moroccan-born Imam and father of 5 considered the decision of his expulsion as a “disproportionate attack” on his “private and family life,” according to AFP.
Hassan Iquioussen can face up to three years in prison, due to his failure to abide by the decision of the High Council of State that ordered the implementation of the ruling of his deportation to Morocco.
European laws indicate that if the imam is in Belgium or another Schengen area and is arrested there, he can be detained pending extradition to France.
If he gets arrested in France, the police will not be able to question him but will have to hand him over to the investigating judge within 24 hours, with the means of charging him. Legal procedures will continue afterward, which will delay his deportation.
The French Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, had issued a decision to expel Hassan Iquioussen at the end of July, accusing him of making anti-Semitic and sexist remarks, which was overturned by the Administrative Court on August 5, before it was approved by the Council of State on August 30.
Rabat is following this file with great caution, as confirmed by Government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas this Thursday during a press conference.
Baitas said that “this a complicated matter that should not be dissected by the media, as it is a case dependent on bilateral agreements between partner countries.“
As imposed by the expulsion order signed by the Minister, the person concerned may leave France for any country if the expulsion methods have not been specified.
French media confirms that from a legal perspective, this is a complicated matter.
Iquioussen does not have French nationality, which he said he had given up at the age of 16 under his father’s influence, then tried in vain to recover.
An informed source admitted to AFP that “the imam’s escape was not expected and would create a lot of trouble for French justice.”
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