The imprisonment has further fueled Al-Ghazawi's resolve to counter the Moroccan government's normalization with Israel.
Moroccan activist Ismail Al-Ghazawi was released from jail on Wednesday, February 5, after the Casablanca Court of Appeals reduced his sentence from one year to four months. Having already served two months, the court suspended the duration of the pro-Palestinian activist's sentence. Ghazawi is a member of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Morocco.
Details of the initial conviction
On December 10, the Court of First Instance in Casablanca sentenced Al-Ghazawi to one year in prison, and fined him 5,000 Moroccan Dirhams (equal to around USD 500) on charges of "inciting crime"and "misdemeanors using electronic means."
Al-Ghazawi faced these charges due to reportedly participating in a pro-Palestinian protest, and calling for a blockade of the US embassy over its support for Israel during its genocidal aggression on the Gaza Strip. The pro-Palestinian activist also called on Tangier port workers and the public to block two Maersk cargo ships from transporting military equipment to Israel.
Global campaign for Al-Ghazawi's release
An international campaign was launched in solidarity with Al-Ghazawi after his arrest in November 2024. The campaign sought to exert pressure on the Moroccan government to immediately release him, instead, the authorities brought the pro-Palestinian activist to trial.
In January, 2025, the BDS movement intensified the global pressure campaign demanding the freedom of Al-Ghazawi, saying that he was "unjustly imprisoned for exercising his constitutional right to freedom of expression."
BDS emphasized that Ismail's "tireless advocacy for Palestinian rights has made him a target of repression by the authoritarian Moroccan regime, which is complicit in Israel's ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people through its shameful normalization and military alliance with apartheid Israel."
Al-Ghazawi's continued resistance after release
Despite his imprisonment, Al-Ghazawi's determination to support the struggle of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation remained unwavering. Surrounded by dozens of activists, Al-Ghazawi celebrated his freedom on Wednesday by chanting slogans that demanded his government end normalization with Israel.
