Former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane sparked widespread outrage during the ninth national conference of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) due to his controversial statements regarding the royal pardon granted to journalist Tawfik Bouachrine. Benkirane expressed his joy over Bouachrine’s release and declared his solidarity with him, but added a perplexing remark suggesting that there might have been a mistake, which many perceived as a direct and shocking insult to Bouachrine’s victims.
These comments opened a deep questioning of the duality of positions within the PJD. How can the secretary-general of a party that claims Islamic values defend someone convicted of serious charges related to rape, human trafficking, and the exploitation of women under his authority? The evidence was documented in damning videos presented in court, leaving no room for doubt or minimization.
Benkirane’s speech appeared to send a message to Moroccans that party loyalty surpasses values and principles. It seemed that the dignity of women becomes secondary when it comes to defending a party member. This behavior not only undermines the party’s credibility but also attacks Moroccan society’s trust in the values that some politicians claim to uphold.
What was even more astonishing was that Benkirane did not stop at expressing solidarity; he attempted to downplay the seriousness of the crimes attributed to Bouachrine, ignoring the suffering of the victims and forgetting that issues of rape and human trafficking cannot be justified or minimized.
Many Moroccans are today asking, what are the limits of solidarity within political parties? Are values and principles bought and sold based on the identity of the accused? What is the position of women within this system, which appears to fall victim to party loyalties and narrow interests?
These statements revealed the fragility of the moral discourse of the PJD and raised burning questions about the nature of the change the party has promised since its inception. If the protection of human dignity is subject to political calculations, how can a citizen trust any discourse about reform or the defense of rights?
