Omar RADI

Award-winning investigative journalist Omar Radi faced smear campaigns and intimidation after release from prison in July.

On 29 July 2024, Omar Radi was released after King Mohamed IV pardoned him and over 2,000 other prisoners, including imprisoned journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Soulaiman Raissouni, and four self-exiled journalists: Hicham Mansouri, Samad Ait Aicha, Imad Stitou, and Afaf Bernani. Radi was arrested in 2020 and sentenced to six years in prison in 2021 on sexual assault and national security charges after a highly flawed trial, which led PEN International to conclude that Radi was targeted for his criticism of the governments and to deter others (see Case Lists 2020-2023/2024). Radi continues to face the repercussions of his detention as the Moroccan authorities have not clarified whether his sentence has been quashed or not. This uncertainty hampers Radi’s ability to resume his work in Morrocco where journalists with criminal records cannot gain accreditation and work legally.

After his release, Radi was subjected to intensive surveillance and intimidation, and received threats warning him to remain silent following his release, continuing a previous pattern of harassment.  At the time of his arrest in 2020, Radi had already been under surveillance for more than two years by the Moroccan authorities using the notorious Pegasus spyware. Shortly before his arrest, a sustained smear campaign by the Chouftv news website, known to have ties to security agencies, accused Radi of receiving foreign funds to provide espionage services to foreign companies, allegations for which he was subsequently charged and convicted.

Born on 18 July 1986, Radi’s work exposes injustice, corruption, and nepotism between political powers and business elites, and highlights human rights issues, and social movements. He wrote for several websites, including Le Desk news website.