Latest news with #Abderrahim
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
MP Demands Action Following Death of Moroccan Man by Policeman's Chokehold in Spain
Rabat — Moroccan Member of Parliament Naima El Fethaoui has submitted a formal question to Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita regarding the death of the 35-year-old Moroccan man, Abderrahim Akkouh, in Spain. The case dates back to June 17, when an off-duty Spanish police officer restrained Akkouh using a controversial chokehold in Torrejón de Ardoz, near Madrid. The Moroccan Parliament member described the case as 'dramatic' and called on the Moroccan government to ensure legal and moral support for Abderrahim's family. El Fethaoui also urged the ministry to take strong diplomatic steps to protect Moroccan citizens living in Spain from racist police abuse. The incident's background According to witnesses, the officer chased Abderrahim, forced him to the ground, and applied the 'mataleón' chokehold — a rear-naked strangle move criticized for its risk of asphyxiation. Ignoring pleas from onlookers to stop, the officer reportedly maintained pressure on Abderrahim's neck while shouting for someone to call the police. Emergency services found Abderrahim unconscious upon arrival and were unable to revive him. The footage of the incident went viral, leading to a protest on June 21 in Plaza de España, where dozens of Moroccans and Spaniards gathered. Holding photos of the victim, demonstrators chanted for justice. Abderrahim's family, devastated and tearful, demanded accountability. His father, Mimoun Akkouh, expressed sorrow in Spanish media: 'If he stole a phone, arrest him, try him — but don't kill him.' The officer, identified as Juan José, 58, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter but later released on conditional bail. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups and anti-racism organizations, who say the act was not accidental but a clear case of excessive force. The incident, witnessed and filmed by bystanders, has sparked outrage among the Moroccan community in Spain and prompted calls for justice from rights groups and lawmakers. Human rights groups, including SOS Racismo and Corridor en Lucha, have demanded a transparent investigation and the formation of a support committee to honor Abderrahim's memory and defend others affected by institutional violence. The tragedy has reignited concerns about systemic racism within Spanish police forces, especially toward migrants and ethnic minorities. Activists and lawmakers alike are calling for deep reforms and greater accountability. Tags: Moroccan man death in spainMorocco spainNasser Bourita
Morocco World
23-06-2025
- Morocco World
Outrage Erupts After Moroccan Man Killed by Police in Spain
Residents of the Spanish town of Torrejon de Ardoz, just outside Madrid, have come together recently in protest and mourning over the killing of Abderrahim, a 35-year-old Moroccan man, at the hands of an off-duty municipal police officer last Tuesday. The official justification for taking Abderrahim's life is that he allegedly tried to steal the officer's phone. But many believe the true 'crime' was simply being a non-white immigrant in a society still steeped in racial prejudice. Abderrahim had lived more than half his life in Torrejón, where he met his tragic death. His family revealed he struggled with mental health issues and was under psychiatric care— an aspect that raises painful questions about the violent response he received. At the protest, powerful slogans echoed through the streets: 'Moorish lives matter,' 'Fascists out of our neighborhoods,' and 'These aren't deaths, they're murders.' These chants stressed the harsh truth that this was not an isolated act of negligence but part of a systemic pattern of violence. Those who knew Abderrahim remembered him as kind-hearted and fragile. 'There was no need to do what they did to Abderrahim, he was a kid who didn't even weigh 60 kilos; bending his arm would have been enough,' said one protester. Abderrahim's family joined the demonstrations, grief-stricken but firmly demanding justice. His father, Akkouh Mimou, voiced what many believe: 'If my son steals, the police should arrest him and bring him before a judge.' Those gathered around him echoed, 'Stealing is no reason to kill.' Video footage circulating online shows the officer applying a chokehold, his arm tightly constricting Abderrahim's neck, refusing to release him despite pleas from bystanders begging him to let him breathe. The officer was arrested on Tuesday for negligent homicide but was surprisingly released on bail two days later. The judge ruled there was no risk of flight, repeat offense, or evidence tampering. However, precautionary measures were imposed, including surrendering his passport and mandatory weekly court check-ins. Activists condemn the decision to release the officer while Abderrahim's family is left to bear the weight of a life unjustly taken for the remainder of their lives. 'It is unfair that the alleged killer is free. We demand recognition that this is neither an isolated incident nor negligent homicide,' said María Bennouna, director of SOS Racism Madrid platform. This tragedy painfully echoes the murder of George Floyd in the United States, where a Black man died after a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, sparking global protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
Ya Biladi
23-06-2025
- Ya Biladi
Protests erupt in Spain over Moroccan man's death at hands of police
Nearly 200 residents of Torrejón de Ardoz, near Madrid, gathered for a sit-in on Saturday, June 21, at Plaza de España, chanting slogans such as «Moroccan Lives Matter» and «Fascists Out!» The protest was sparked by the killing of a Moroccan man by a municipal police officer the previous Tuesday. Abderrahim, 35, died in an incident that drew chilling comparisons to the murder of African-American George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Footage published by Spanish media shows the officer kneeling on Abderrahim's neck while ignoring pleas from a bystander urging him to «let the young man breathe a little; the police cannot take justice into their own hands». Anti-racist organizations denounced the killing at Saturday's demonstration, calling it part of a «systemic pattern of persecution against migrants». Abderrahim had lived in Torrejón de Ardoz for nearly 17 years. The officer involved was arrested on Tuesday and charged with involuntary manslaughter, but was released on bail Thursday. According to El País, the investigating judge ruled there was no risk of flight, reoffending, or tampering with evidence.
Shafaq News
06-06-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
Eid attacks: Israel pounds Gaza as calls mount to stop ‘War on Childhood'
Shafaq News/ On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Israel intensified its military campaign on Gaza, amid urgent calls to end what UNICEF described as a 'brutal war against childhood.' According to Arab media outlets, Israeli strikes on Sunday hit multiple areas across the Strip, causing casualties and destruction. In Khan Younis, a drone strike on tents sheltering displaced families west of the city killed three and wounded others, while a child was shot dead northwest of the city, and homes were demolished in al-Qarara to the northeast. In Gaza City, artillery shelling hit the al-Tuffah neighborhood, sparking fires and damaging homes, while airstrikes in Jabalia struck residential areas and artillery targeted the northern part of Nuseirat camp. Journalist Ahmad Qalaja reportedly died from injuries sustained in an earlier Israeli strike on a press tent near Al-Mamadani Hospital. The latest figures from Gaza's Ministry of Health put the death toll since October 7, 2023, at 54,677, with 125,530 injured, while many victims remain trapped under the rubble. Meanwhile, Israeli media confirmed that five Israeli soldiers were killed and two others wounded in an ambush in Khan Yunis, where a building collapsed on them in the southern Gaza Strip. As casualties continue to rise, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating further. The US-backed-Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced the closure of its aid distribution points, citing safety concerns. Earlier this week, the GHF suspended operations for over a day after Israeli forces killed and injured hundreds of starving Palestinians seeking aid. The UN has reported that over 2,700 children in Gaza now suffer from acute malnutrition. Amid these developments, global outrage continues to mount. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, speaking from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, pointed to the psychological trauma experienced by children in Gaza and recounted the story of Jina, an 11-year-old girl left paralyzed from the waist down after an Israeli airstrike. 'She is now in a state of deep despair and just wants to get out of here, but she cannot get medical evacuation,' Elder said. He warned that 50,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza, equating the toll to 2,000 classrooms. 'This tragedy must end,' he added. In France, Jacqueline Rivault filed a legal complaint in Paris accusing Israel of genocide and murder after her two French grandchildren, Janna (6) and Abderrahim (9), were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on October 24, 2023. The complaint alleges that two F-16 missiles directly struck the room where the family had taken shelter. Abderrahim died instantly, while Janna succumbed to her wounds shortly after.
