The French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office has opened a preliminary investigation into the disappearance of French citizen Clément Bissenvel, 29, who vanished in Morocco nearly 20 months ago, Agence France-Presse reported. According to his father, Didier Bissenvel, prosecutors opened the case on July 28 and met with the family in mid-November 2025. Clément, who also holds Spanish citizenship, had moved to an apartment near the Rabat coastline in early 2024, where he planned to open a pizza restaurant. He was due to sign a rental contract on April 15 but abruptly stopped all communication beforehand. The family reported his disappearance on April 25, 2024, to the gendarmerie in Cély-en-Bière. The case was then transferred to French authorities before being relayed to Moroccan authorities. According to his father, the Moroccan investigation determined that Clément disappeared on April 10, 2024, at around 10:30 p.m. All his belongings, including his ID documents, computer, phone, cash, and glasses, were found inside his apartment. In March 2025, the family's lawyer filed a complaint and sought civil party status with the Melun prosecutor's office for suspected kidnapping and unlawful confinement. However, the Melun public prosecutor, Jean-Michel Bourlès, told La République de Seine-et-Marne that the case had since been transferred to the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office. The French anti-terrorism unit now leads the investigation and, according to Clément's father, submitted a request for international judicial cooperation in October. This would allow French investigators to access the case file held by Moroccan police and judicial authorities through a «parallel investigation». Didier Bissenvel said he has written to French President Emmanuel Macron and King Mohammed VI, urging both governments to intensify efforts to locate his son. He added that he and his wife regularly travel to Morocco «to reactivate the case», stressing: «We don't know where he is or why he disappeared. Clément's case must not gather dust or be forgotten. Our son must not be forgotten».
