Ali Bourequat
Encyclopedia
Ali Bourequat was a French citizen of Moroccan origins living in Rabat
, Morocco. He is a writer and former forcibly disappeared. As a successful businessman, he came from a rich family of Turkish
origin close to the court of king Hassan II.
In 1973 he was, with his two brothers Midhat and Bayazid, abducted by the Moroccan secret police, torture
d and jailed without trial for reasons he claims unknown even to himself. He was originally incarcerated in facilities close to Rabat, but in 1981 he was transferred to the Tazmamart prison
, a secret detention facility with a 50% death rate. His family was given no information on his whereabouts, consistent with the practice of the Moroccan regime in cases of "forced disappearance", and he was never charged with a crime.
In 1991 he was released after pressure from human rights
organization Amnesty International
and the American government, along with other surviving Tazmamart prisoners, including his brothers, on the condition that he leave for France never to return.
The French government had consistently cooperated with Morocco in denying his imprisonment, and Bourequat was scalding in his critique of Paris's collaboration with the Moroccan regime. While writing about his experiences and about the close ties between the Moroccan government and the French government, Bourequat claims he was threatened and harassed by both Moroccan and French secret police. He fled to the United States, where he was in 1995 granted asylum as the only American refugee
from France.
He presently lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina (USA) where he remains a vocal critic of the Moroccan regime.
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, Morocco. He is a writer and former forcibly disappeared. As a successful businessman, he came from a rich family of Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
origin close to the court of king Hassan II.
In 1973 he was, with his two brothers Midhat and Bayazid, abducted by the Moroccan secret police, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d and jailed without trial for reasons he claims unknown even to himself. He was originally incarcerated in facilities close to Rabat, but in 1981 he was transferred to the Tazmamart prison
Tazmamart
Tazmamart was a secret prison in south-eastern Morocco in the Atlas Mountains, holding political prisoners. The prison became a symbol ofoppression in the political history of contemporary Morocco...
, a secret detention facility with a 50% death rate. His family was given no information on his whereabouts, consistent with the practice of the Moroccan regime in cases of "forced disappearance", and he was never charged with a crime.
In 1991 he was released after pressure from human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organization Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and the American government, along with other surviving Tazmamart prisoners, including his brothers, on the condition that he leave for France never to return.
The French government had consistently cooperated with Morocco in denying his imprisonment, and Bourequat was scalding in his critique of Paris's collaboration with the Moroccan regime. While writing about his experiences and about the close ties between the Moroccan government and the French government, Bourequat claims he was threatened and harassed by both Moroccan and French secret police. He fled to the United States, where he was in 1995 granted asylum as the only American refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
from France.
He presently lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina (USA) where he remains a vocal critic of the Moroccan regime.
Publications
- Ali Bourequat (1998), In the Moroccan King's Secret Gardens, Maurice Publishers
External links
- Bibliomonde http://www.bibliomonde.com/auteur/ali-bourequat-15.html (retrieved Feb. 15, 2009)
See also
- Years of leadYears of Lead (Morocco)The Years of Lead is the term used especially by former opponents to the rule of King Hassan II of Morocco to describe a period of his rule marked by state violence against dissidents and democracy activists.-Timeframe:...
- TazmamartTazmamartTazmamart was a secret prison in south-eastern Morocco in the Atlas Mountains, holding political prisoners. The prison became a symbol ofoppression in the political history of contemporary Morocco...
- Malika OufkirMalika OufkirMalika Oufkir is a Moroccan writer and former "disappeared". She is the daughter of General Mohamed Oufkir and a cousin of fellow Moroccan writer and actress Leila Shenna....