2023-12-19 11:51:00
It’s been regarding 4 months since the Moroccan restaurant on rue de la Madeleine last opened its doors. A relative of Abbes Elkhalil, the owner of the restaurant, explained to us on condition of anonymity that the latter was allegedly arrested in Morocco for having made comments contrary to the law of this country on social networks.
Morocco has recently strengthened its legislation on social networks, which provides for heavy penalties (including imprisonment) for anyone who violates this legislation. We know that Abbes, well known in the City of Five Bell Towers, returned to his country of origin to resolve an inheritance problem. However, we do not know whether it is in this specific context that he would have broadcast the comments mentioned above.
Still according to his relatives, Abbes was sentenced to a year in prison and a heavy fine in Morocco, but he appealed this decision and the procedure is currently still ongoing.
Caution in Foreign Affairs
As Abbes also has Belgian nationality, we contacted our country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Here is what Nicolas Fierens Gevaert, spokesperson for this ministry, answers us: “the FPS Foreign Affairs was recently informed of the detention of Mr. Abbes El Khalil in Morocco. The Belgian embassy in Rabat will try to contact him as part of consular assistance, as the FPS Foreign Affairs does for Belgians detained abroad. As this is an individual file, the FPS Foreign Affairs does not make any further comments.”
In the present case therefore, this file is part of a strictly private matter and it should be treated with caution.
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