Mustapha Adib (activist)

Mustapha Adib (Arabic: مصطفى أديب‎; born 1968 in Taroudannt)[1] is a Moroccan human rights activist and ex-captain in the Royal Moroccan Air Force. In late 1999, he was arbitrarily detained then imprisoned for 30 months after he denounced corruption in the military.

For the Lebanese diplomat and academic, see Mustapha Adib (politician).
Mustapha Adib
Personal details
Born1968 (age 52–53)
Taroudant, Morocco
OccupationAir Force captain
Telecom Engineer
Human rights activists
Military service
Allegiance Morocco
Branch/service Royal Moroccan Air Force
Years of service1986–2002
RankCaptain

Imprisonment in 1999

Mustapha Adib was stationed in Errachidia and was in charge of Telecommunications maintenance in the Moroccan Air Forces, there he witnessed theft of fuel by high-ranking officials of the military.[2] In late 1998, he wrote a letter to Mohammed VI (then crown prince) denouncing the corruption he saw. He was prosecuted for the same acts he denounced but was at first acquitted. He was later received by the new commander of the Air Force, Ahmed Boutaleb and after insisting on having the corrupt officials prosecuted he was condemned in 2000 to 30 months in prison.[2]

After he left prison, he was harassed in the army and was forced to quit. He left the army and settled in Paris where he obtained an engineering degree. He has since become a vocal human rights activist and opponent to the regime of Mohammed VI.[3]

In 2000, he was awarded the Transparency International Integrity award.[4]

Abdelaziz Bennani incident
See also: Abdelaziz Bennani

On 18 June 2014, Mustapha Adib visited the Val-de-Grâce, the hospital where general Abdelaziz Bennani was following treatment in France. He tried to visit the general but was not authorised to access the room, after which he left him a bouquet of cheap flowers and a message, in which he accused Bennani of being a criminal responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, the impoverishment of thousands of deceased soldiers children and a corrupt who stole state's assets.[5][6] Bennani is mired in suspicions of high-level corruption according to various sources, including leaked US diplomatic cables.[7][8][9]

Through the official press agency, Maghreb Arabe Presse, the Moroccan state protested this incident and stated that Abdelaziz Bennani was "assaulted morally" [sic], with the tacit complacency of French authorities.[10] The chief of Moroccan external intelligence (DGED), Yassine Mansouri (also a classmate of king Mohammed VI at the Collège Royal) summoned the French Ambassador in Rabat to protest.[10]

The Moroccan ambassador in Paris and former minister of the Interior, Chakib Benmoussa tried to meet the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius to express "dissatisfaction" over the incident, but was only received by his chief of cabinet.[5][10]

On 20 June 2014, Mustapha Adib was briefly placed in custody by the French gendarmerie, apparently as a response to the protests from Moroccan officials.[11] He was released on the same day, after which he announced that he would sue Abdelaziz Bennani, king Mohammed VI and thirty other Moroccan officials.[12]

The incident came in a period where Moroccan authorities have been complaining about a number of incidents, including; a lawsuit filed in France against Abdellatif Hammouchi (the head of the Moroccan secret services), for allegedly torturing suspects (such as Zakaria Moumni), which prompted Morocco to suspend judiciary cooperation with France and is currently under investigation by French judges.[6] And an alleged quote by the French ambassador to the UN, in which he described the Moroccan state as a "mistress" that you don't love but have to defend. The quote allegedly came as an allegorical reply to actor Javier Bardem who inquired him about France's position on Western Sahara in the security council.[6]

References
  1. Hicham Oulmouddane (N° 456). "Je n'ai pas dit mon dernier mot". Telquel. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. M. M (25 August 2008). "Le baroud d'honneur de Mustapha Adib | Jeuneafrique.com - le premier site d'information et d'actualité sur l'Afrique". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  3. "الظابط مصطفى أديب يفضح النظام المغربي". Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  4. "news room/latest news/press_releases/2000/2000 09 28 ti award portraits". Transparency International. 28 September 2000. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  5. "Paris : Grave incident entre le général Abdelaziz Bennani et l'ex-capitaine Adib". Demain Online. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  6. "تفاقم أزمة المغرب وفرنسا: الرباط تحتج على باريس لما تعتبره "اعتداءا معنويا" ضد الجنرال بناني في مستشفى فرنسي". Alifpost. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  7. Jackson (14 April 2009). "SCENESETTER FOR CODEL SMITH". US Embassy Rabat. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  8. Thomas T. Riley (4 August 2008). "MOROCCO'S MILITARY: ADEQUATE, MODERNIZING, BUT FACING BIG CHALLENGES". US Embassy Rabat. Archived from the original on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  9. Mahjoub Tobji (2006). Les Officiers de Sa Majesté. Bennani consacre son énergie à accumuler une fortune colossale sur le dos de l'armée en plaçant un peu partout des intendants à sa convenance. Grâce aux marchés de la viande passés en Argentine et en Australie, aux contraventions maritimes évoquées plus haut et qui portent sur une zone s'étendant de la latitude d'Agadir à la frontière mauritanienne, le général Bennani s'est retrouvé en peu de temps à la tête d'un immense pactole. Il est loin le temps où il me demandait d'intervenir auprès de Dlimi pour l'aider parce qu'un champ de céréales lui appartenant avait brûlé dans la région de Taza...Bennani et certains de ses protégés se sont adonnés à une course effrénée aux millions en faisant feu de tout bois : contrebande avec la Mauritanie et les Canaries, vente de carburant et d'équipements militaires, prélèvements sur la prime alimentaire des soldats, petits et gros profits dans toutes sortes de secteurs.
  10. "Vif mécontentement du Maroc à la suite de l'agression morale dont a été victime le Général de corps d'armée Abdelaziz Bennani dans un hôpital parisien". Maghreb Arabe Presse. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  11. Ali Lmrabet (20 June 2014). "L'ex-capitaine Mustapha Adib a déposé plainte contre le roi Mohamed VI". Demain Online. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  12. "Le roi Mohammed VI, le général Bennani et une trentaine de responsables visés par une plainte de l'ex-capitaine Adib". 21 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
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