Paris (France), May 9, 2025 (SPS) – The National Rif Party stated in a widely distributed press release that the nomination of Moroccan official Amina Bouayach for the 2025 Nelson Mandela Prize constitutes a grave insult to the memory and legacy of the late global symbol of resistance against injustice and tyranny.
In its response to the nomination, the party condemned the move as a betrayal of Mandela’s legacy, emphasizing that the South African leader stood as a beacon of the fight against oppression, while Morocco has been widely accused of systematic human rights violations. The party cited reports from international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Chatham House, which document Morocco’s grave abuses, including the torture of Sahrawi activists in occupied Western Sahara, who endure daily repression, psychological torture, and judicial harassment.
The party further pointed out that Bouayach, far from being a human rights defender, has actively whitewashed the regime’s crimes by legitimizing political trials, denying well-documented torture cases, ignoring the criminalization of social movements, and remaining silent in the face of the brutal crackdown on the Rif protests. Her collaboration with authorities in suppressing dissent, the party added, disqualifies her morally and politically from receiving any award honoring justice and human dignity.
Granting the Nelson Mandela Prize to a representative of a repressive regime, the statement concluded, would violate the founding principles of the United Nations and reduce a global tribute into a propaganda tool.
