Youth Group Action - February 2018

Send a message of hope to Ali Aarrass

Ali Aarrass, a Belgian-Moroccan national and father of one, has been unlawfully detained by the Moroccan authorities since 2010. During this period Ali has been the victim of multiple human rights violations, including being held incommunicado and tortured. The Moroccan authorities have failed to appropriately investigate these abuses.

We received a wonderful message from Ali at the end of August:

“During my hour in the prison courtyard, after finishing the physical exercises, I always end up lifting up my eyes towards the sky. I just see it as a blue square, I observe and memorize it for the sad moments, in order to remind me that one day soon I will have again the right to observe it as a whole and among my people. This blue square reminds me that you are all still there outside under the same blue sky bothering yourselves for me. I cannot ignore all this efforts and sink into depression. I learnt to be very patient, otherwise that would be hard.”

Inspired by Ali’s message we are asking you to:

• write a solidarity letter/card to Ali to let him know you support him

• draw or photograph a picture of something they would like to see when released from prison if they had been in prison for seven years like Ali. The best pictures will be photographed and sent to him.