Hirak : Nawal Benaissa granted political asylum in the Netherlands

Hirak activist Nawal Benaissa has been granted political asylum in the Netherlands, she told Spanish news agency EFE on Friday.

The 36-year-old mother fled Morocco with her four children in April 2019. The activist was sentenced to ten months suspended for «participating in an authorized protest» and for «offending public officials».  

When she fled Morocco, Nawal Benaissa first went to Ceuta and from there she left for the Netherlands, which hosts a large Rif community, including Hirak activists.

She became a Hirak figure after the arrest of several activists, such as Nasser Zefzafi, in May 2017.

However, her arrest, trial and suspended sentence made her «fear that she would be arrested and tried again», said the Spanish agency. «They restricted my voice and my freedom», she told the same source.

It recalls that Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium are the countries where Hirak activists submit asylum applications the most.

Most of these asylum requests are refused in Europe as Morocco is considered «a safe country», EFE concluded.