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In Spain and Morocco voices are rising to bring justice to Moroccan Ilias Tahiri. His death was classified in January as
accidental. However, a new video published by Spanish daily El Pais shows that the man died while «restrained» by six security guards. The 18-year-old died on July 1, 2019, in the Tierras de Oria, a juvenile center in Almería, southern Spain.
«His tragic death took place a year ago. El Pais' video clearly shows how security guards mistreated him by restraining him for too long», Mohammed Chaïb Akhdim told Yabiladi.
The former Catalonia MP and head of the Ibn Battuta Foundation for the promotion of cultural diversity, coexistence and inclusion in Catalonia, believes that «what proves that they led to his death is the fact that one of the security guards checked to see if he was still breathing».
A violent protocol that must be removed
The Ibn Battuta Foundation calls today for «the case to be reopened and for the authorities to investigate the reasons behind his death», Akhdim added. «We seized the lawyers and legal advisers of the Foundation and we decided to go to court to request the reopening of the file so that the culprits are brought to justice and that this protocol ceases», he said.
«We demand justice for Ilias Tahiri and for his mother with whom we are in contact. This tragedy must not happen again. We are asking the local government of Andalusia to stop this violent protocol which is harmful to young people», he argued.
Furthermore, a support committee was created. It is composed, in addition to the Foundation, of the Club des Avocats de Casablanca. «They are providing support, notably to Morocco, to affirm that Moroccans are not alone and that this story will not go unnoticed», said Mohammed Chaïb Akhdim.
The latter recognizes that «this case has resurfaced after the death of American George Floyd», which thus gives Tahiri «more visibility within the Spanish society». «It supports us and remains aware of the seriousness of the facts. In addition, even the Ombudsman for Andalusia (whose mission is to protect and defend rights and freedoms against abuse by the state administration, ed), said that in a modern society like Spain, we cannot let this kind of things happen», he added.
In Spain, the Ilias Tahiri death is not an isolated tragedy. In fact, according to El Salto Diario, the Ginso Foundation, responsible for the Almería juvenile center, was already involved in a similar case in 2011 when Ramón Barrios, 18, also died after being restrained by two security guards in a juvenile center in the suburbs of Madrid.
The mobilization of the Ibn Battuta Foundation comes at a time when the Foundation for Arab Culture in Spain (Funca) announced in a press release, relayed Sunday by EFE, that it has started legal proceedings to join the case as a civil party.
In Morocco, the Moroccan League for the Defense of Human Rights (LMDDH) also sent an open letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans residing abroad to investigate the tragedy.
