Moroccan Human Rights Group Supports Omar Radi’s Alleged Rape Victim

Rabat – The Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ADDF) in  -, northern Morocco, has expressed support for Omar Radi’s alleged rape victim, Hafsa Boutahar.

The association announced its position in a press release issued on August 8. The statement was a response to the “support request” that Boutahar had filed.

ADDF’s executive body showed support for the complainant after listening to Boutahar and “reviewing several data.”

The statement cited “solidarity with the complainant on the basis of the data and on the basis that she belongs to a juridically vulnerable group because she is a woman exposed to all kinds of violence.”

Boutahar accused Radi, a journalist at Moroccan news outlet Le Desk, of violent rape.

In a recent interview with Atlas Info, Boutahar said that Radi raped her on July 12 at the house of her bosses, Ali Amar and his wife Fatema Zahra Qadri.

Boutahar was living with their bosses during lockdown.

She said she did not imagine Omar would rape her as he had a “friendly relationship” with him.

Boutahar, who is responsible for public relations and advertising at Le Desk, said she decided to open up about the rape after Radi publicized the case and alleged they a “consensual sexual relatonship.”

“I decided to only speak once so that people know the truth. The public should know that I thought  a lot before filing a complaint, I knew it would be difficult but my parents are supportive and this is most important to me.”

She rejected Radi’s claims of a relationship, arguing that they constituted a “serious breach of investigation.”

“I cannot stand idly by and let him say whatever he wants,” she added.

Radi has been in jail since July 29 for alleged “violent rape and for receiving funds from a foreign agent.”

The journalist continues to deny the accusations against him, alleging that the charges target his writing and his profession as a journalist.

Before his arrest, Radi made international headlines when Amnesty International featured him in a report published June 22.

In the report, Amnesty International claims that Morocco’s government spies on Omar using NSO’s Pegasus spyware.

Morocco’s government strongly condemned the allegations, asking the NGO to provide material evidence to back its caims.

In response, the NGO claimed Morocco was targeting the organization with a smear campaign.

Amnesty International has yet to meet Morocco’s request for material evidence.