logo
Rights groups urge UK parliamentary inquiry into MMA fighter Lee Murray's conviction in Morocco

Rights groups urge UK parliamentary inquiry into MMA fighter Lee Murray's conviction in Morocco

Ya Biladi4 days ago
Legal advocacy groups Due Process International and Detained in Dubai are calling for an urgent Parliamentary inquiry into the UK government's role in the prosecution of British-Moroccan citizen Lee Brahim Murray-Lamrani. Murray is currently serving a 25-year sentence in Morocco after being convicted for his role in the 2006 Securitas depot heist in Kent—the largest cash robbery in British history.
In a statement on July 16, the two organisations argue that the crime was committed entirely on UK soil, and that when extradition to the UK was blocked under Moroccan law, British authorities provided Moroccan prosecutors with police intelligence, case files, and evidence to secure a conviction abroad.
«This is a clear-cut case of proxy prosecution», said Due Process International. «The UK Government bypassed its own courts, exported a British citizen's trial to a foreign jurisdiction, and denied him the legal protections he would have received at home».
Radha Stirling, CEO of DPI and founder of Detained in Dubai, highlighted «serious human rights concerns», including alleged due process violations during the Moroccan trial, such as the absence of legal counsel during the appeal that saw Murray's sentence increased from 10 to 25 years. «If this was a quid pro quo conviction, it must be fully investigated», she said.
The organisations are urging UK MPs on Foreign Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights to examine whether the UK violated its obligations, particularly amid what they describe as «enhanced diplomatic cooperation» with Morocco.
«This is not just about one man», Stirling added. «If the UK can engineer a prosecution abroad when extradition fails, it opens the door to future abuses—not just in Morocco, but globally».
DPI has also called on the UK government to support a presidential pardon for Murray: «Lee has now served the better part of two decades in prison, far longer than he likely would have if tried in the UK. It is time for compassion and for the UK to right this wrong».
Awaits freedom in his Moroccan cell
Born in London in 1977, Lee Murray grew up in the UK and spent his early years apart from his Moroccan father. As a teenager, Murray became involved in crime alongside childhood friend and accomplice Paul Allen, engaging in drug dealing and armed robberies. He had his first conviction as a minor for possession of cocaine and cannabis.
Despite his run-ins with the law, Murray also pursued a promising career in mixed martial arts (MMA), gaining notoriety as a fierce competitor in the UK fight scene. However, his criminal ties ultimately overshadowed his sporting ambitions.
The February 2006 Securitas robbery marked a turning point. Murray, accused of orchestrating the heist, fled to Morocco four days after the gang made off with £53 million from a cash depot in Tonbridge, Kent. Seeking to avoid extradition, he sought Moroccan citizenship. On June 25, 2006, he was arrested in Rabat in a joint operation by Moroccan and British authorities.
In 2010, a Moroccan court sentenced Murray to 10 years in prison. That sentence was later increased to 25 years on appeal.
«There's no happiness where I am», he said in a 2018 interview from his prison cell in Tifelt. «But I suppose I can say I'm happy to still be alive. (…) There have been times when I was sitting in a room next to people with multiple death sentences, and in those moments, your own problems suddenly seem very small».
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sahara: North Macedonia Backs Morocco's Autonomy Plan
Sahara: North Macedonia Backs Morocco's Autonomy Plan

Morocco World

time24 minutes ago

  • Morocco World

Sahara: North Macedonia Backs Morocco's Autonomy Plan

Rabat — North Macedonia announced its support for Morocco's 2007 Autonomy Plan as the only basis for resolving the Western Sahara dispute, marking another diplomatic victory for the North African country's position on its territory. The North Macedonian government announced this stance in a joint declaration signed Monday in Skopje by Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. Mucunski reaffirmed his country's longstanding support for the UN-led process aimed at finding a fair, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution for all parties involved in the dispute. The two countries expressed commitment to UN leadership in the political process and voiced support for UN Security Council Resolution 2756 from October 2024. This resolution stressed the role and responsibility of the parties in seeking a realistic, durable, and compromise-based political solution. The ministers also backed the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy and his mission to advance the political process in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and UN Charter principles. North Macedonia's position adds to growing international momentum behind Morocco's autonomy initiative. In a letter to King Mohammed VI, France's President Emmanuel Macron called the plan that Morocco proposed in 2007 to offer the region autonomy under its sovereignty the 'only basis' to solve the dispute. On June 1, during a joint press conference in Rabat, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that his country would change its position to support Morocco's Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara, calling it 'the most credible, viable, and pragmatic' solution to the conflict. The US recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020, while Spain shifted its position in 2022 to support the autonomy plan as 'the most serious, realistic and credible basis for resolving the dispute over Western Sahara.' Read also: Report: China, Russia Likely to Recognize Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara Tags: MoroccoNorth MacedoniaSouthern provincesWestern sahara

Morocco Delivers Aid to 500 Gaza Families as Israel's Starvation Campaign Intensifies
Morocco Delivers Aid to 500 Gaza Families as Israel's Starvation Campaign Intensifies

Morocco World

timean hour ago

  • Morocco World

Morocco Delivers Aid to 500 Gaza Families as Israel's Starvation Campaign Intensifies

Marrakech – Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Agency implemented the third phase of Morocco's humanitarian aid campaign on Saturday in the Al-Bureij camp in eastern Gaza. The initiative, financially supported by the Moroccan Association for Palestine Reconstruction, delivered essential supplies to 500 displaced families most in need. Despite dangerous security conditions, relief teams successfully reached the camp to distribute aid packages directly to beneficiaries. This approach spared vulnerable families the risks associated with traveling to warehouses and distribution centers amid Israel's ongoing genocidal operations. The food baskets included a variety of fresh vegetables that the agency managed to procure from local markets despite soaring prices caused by the Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) blockade and bombardment that has devastated supply chains. Recipients expressed profound gratitude for Morocco's efforts to assist Gazans in distress. They noted the honorable image Palestinians hold of Morocco and King Mohammed VI, while hoping for continued Moroccan solidarity with their Palestinian brothers in all circumstances. This humanitarian action reaffirms Morocco's uninterrupted support for Palestine under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, President of the Al-Quds Committee. The initiative comes at a critical moment when Gaza faces a deliberate extermination campaign and imposed starvation strategy by the IOF, recognized widely as such beyond Palestinian accounts. In Gaza, a loaf of bread now costs more than hope Health officials in Gaza report that hunger is no longer just a threat but a deadly reality inside homes. The humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels with people collapsing in the streets from starvation. Witnesses in Khan Younis and Rafah describe seeing Palestinians falling to the ground, their bodies too weak from hunger to remain standing. Since March, Gaza has plunged into what health officials term a 'real famine.' Israel's closure of all crossings has blocked flour, baby formula and medical supplies from entering the enclave for more than four months. Bread, once a daily staple, has become unattainable for most families, available only in black markets at exorbitant prices. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that 69 children have died from malnutrition since October, with total famine-related deaths reaching 620. Another 650,000 children under age five face severe risk, alongside tens of thousands of pregnant women lacking food and prenatal care. The ministry warned on Sunday that 'hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at risk of imminent death due to hunger.' The death toll continues to rise with at least 19 Palestinians, including infants, reported dead from starvation in a single 24-hour period. The World Food Programme contradicted Israeli claims about recent shootings at aid seekers, stating victims were simply 'trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation.' The UN agency asserted that 'Gaza's hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance.' 'Only a massive scale-up in food aid distributions can stabilize this spiraling situation,' the WFP added. Morocco and Palestine, a centuries-old relationship Meanwhile, Palestinian officials continue to express appreciation for Morocco's consistent support. Ahmad Said Ahmad Al-Tamimi, President of the PLO's Department of Human Rights and Civil Society, recently acknowledged Morocco's vital backing for the Palestinian cause under King Mohammed VI's leadership during meetings in Rabat. The Palestinian official spotlighted the 'centuries-old' ties between Morocco and the Palestinian Authority, voicing gratitude for Rabat's steadfast position throughout Morocco's history. A Palestinian delegation concluded a training program in Morocco yesterday after attending the week-long initiative from July 14-20. The program aimed to strengthen Palestinian capacities in international humanitarian law, human rights documentation, and international advocacy, with Morocco's National Human Rights Council (CNDH) sharing its expertise. Israel's brutal genocide on Gaza has continued since October 7, 2023, killing nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them being women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and created catastrophic food shortages and disease outbreaks. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its actions in the enclave.

Moroccans rally in Rabat in support of Palestine and to protest the starvation of Gazans
Moroccans rally in Rabat in support of Palestine and to protest the starvation of Gazans

Ya Biladi

time16 hours ago

  • Ya Biladi

Moroccans rally in Rabat in support of Palestine and to protest the starvation of Gazans

In a powerful display of solidarity, Rabat, the capital of Morocco, became the epicenter of a massive national march organized by the «Moroccan Front for Supporting Palestine and Against Normalization». Thousands turned out to voice their support for the Palestinian people in Gaza and to denounce the severe policies of starvation and siege imposed by the Zionist occupation. This demonstration was a direct response to the Palestinian resistance's call for a global movement to address the dire situation faced by the besieged residents of the Gaza Strip, who suffer under a brutal collective starvation policy. From the early morning hours, thousands of Moroccans gathered in Rabat, with significant representation from political party leaders, political organizations, human rights groups, and trade union representatives. The Justice and Charity Group. Al Adl wal Ihsane, was notably prominent in the march. The «Moroccan Front for Supporting Palestine and Against Normalization» emphasized in a statement that this national march is driven by «our humanitarian duty and historical responsibility as a people and activists to confront the crime of starvation and genocide». The march also seeks to «participate in the global movement on Sunday against starvation in Gaza» and to «condemn the genocide committed by the Zionist occupation against the Palestinian people, amid the silence and complicity of the international community». The statement further highlighted that «the systematic starvation inflicted by the occupation's machinery on more than one and a half million civilians in Gaza, particularly in its northern regions, through the destruction of infrastructure, food storage, and the prevention of aid, is a genocidal weapon aimed at crushing the will to resist and forcing surrender upon a people committed to resistance until liberation». The front vehemently condemned «the crime of international silence and Arab inaction in stopping this heinous crime», urging the Moroccan people to continue their mobilization and struggle in support of Palestine and its courageous resistance.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store