A Moroccan left-wing activist denounced yesterday in Rabat the fact that she was expelled from the United States and separated from her children, accusing the Moroccan and American authorities of deporting her because of showing support for social protests in her country of origin, said EFE. Siham Byah, a 40-year-old mother of two children, stated in a conference held in Rabat that the US authorities initially withdrew her residence permit in 2012, after living for 13 years in the United States. She said she was deported to Morocco on December 28th while her children stayed in the United States. The forty-year-old woman stressed saying that the US government's decision was taken «in coordination with the Moroccan authorities» because of her support for Hirak Rif and the February 20 movement in 2011. The last two militant activities in which Siham Byah participated before being deported date back to July in Washington in front of the White House and the Moroccan Embassy, supporting the Hirak movement, she added. She stated that she was held for several days before being deported in «inhumane conditions». The activist, who was reported to have been handcuffed with her feet tied, also claimed that the US agents who escorted her during the flight did not explain the reasons why she was deported. Very active on social media, Siham Byah asked the American justice to review the decision and open an investigation. She also asked to contact her 8-year-old boy, currently housed by a juvenile center in the United States.
