Covering the migration crisis in Ceuta, Chouf TV journalist Fatima Zahra Rajmi was arrested by Spanish police. While the local media spoke of past crimes, the SNPM took it up by contesting an obstacle to the press's work on the subject. Journalist for Moroccan online news platform Chouf TV Fatima Zahra Rajmi was released at the end of the day on Friday by the Spanish police in Ceuta, who arrested her due to her presence in the enclave for several days. Covering the situation at the border, after thousands of people irregularly crossed to Ceuta from Morocco. According to local Spanish media El Faro de Ceuta, the Moroccan journalist was arrested under the order of the Almeria criminal court. She was transferred to this jurisdiction to be informed of the suspension of a decision rendered against her and was later released. Earlier today, the Spanish Civil Guard arrested the journalist. According to the same media, Fatima Zahra Rajmi, who holds Spanish citizenship, «was spreading lies» which would have irritated the inhabitants of the city. The local news site added that the journalist was not arrested because of her coverage of the events, but because «she was wanted by a Spanish court on suspicion of being involved in an alleged crime». The same source reported that, before her arrest, the journalist had visited various places in Ceuta in the past few days. She is said to have interviewed numerous migrants, «spread lies» and «questioned the behavior of the Spanish security forces as well as their services». During her coverage of the events, Fatima Zahra Rajmi is said to have suggested that the Spanish agents would have «raped Moroccan women». She has repeatedly referred to the enclave as an occupied city, which seems to have irritated local Spanish officials, says ChoufTV. On social media, calls for his release are numerous. In Morocco, the press union reacts For its part, the National Union of the Moroccan Press indicated that the arrest took place when the journalist was preparing to leave the enclave and head to Algeciras, to cover a sit-in held in front of the Moroccan consulate. During this operation marked by a large deployment of the police, according to the press body, Fatima Zahra Ajmi was handcuffed and taken to a police station, then taken into custody. Although Spanish media link her arrest to an investigation unrelated to her coverage, the body says the opposite in its statement. It mentioned the use of «occupied city» and the choice to focus on the abuses of the Spanish police against migrants. The union challenged this «arbitrary arrest which reflects the closeness of the colonial authorities towards anyone who denounces the serious violations and abuses committed by the security forces and elements of the Spanish army against the rights of those entering the occupied Moroccan city». While demanding the release of the journalist, the body underlined «the lack of respect for the freedom of the press and of expression by these authorities and the restriction on the work of journalists, for fear of denouncing the systematic violations of human rights, including those of minors». Before the release was announced, the press union said that it had discussed the journalist's case with the International Federation of Journalists to support her request for release. It also asked the Spanish press unions to participate to this campaign.
