
Activist Sion Assidon in Coma After Serious Head Injury in Mohammedia
The 77-year-old president of the Moroccan branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement was found unconscious at his home on Monday.
According to sources close to Assidon, he reportedly fell from a staircase or ladder while trimming trees at his residence on Saturday.
After the incident, he managed to reach his living room and sit on a couch, but remained unconscious until Monday, when a concerned colleague discovered him after he missed a meeting.
Despite this plausible explanation, the Mohammedia prosecutor's office immediately ordered an investigation. Police visited the scene, seized Assidon's phone and computer, and stationed an officer outside his home.
According to converging reports, Assidon underwent urgent surgery on Monday night after he was rushed to the hospital. His personal physician recommended emergency head surgery, which was successfully performed, but the anti-Zionist activist remains comatose.
Meanwhile, several left-wing activists gathered outside the clinic to inquire about his health condition. A strong police presence from various units has been observed around the facility.
The Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization expressed 'deep concern' about Assidon's hospitalization, stating in a communiqué that he was transferred to the hospital 'in a state of unconsciousness.'
Ahmed Ouihmane, president of the Observatory, wrote on his personal Facebook account that Assidon underwent 'a delicate brain operation.'
He added that, 'according to information circulating in his entourage and among opponents of normalization, his body shows suspicious signs that require a more thorough medical and security investigation to determine the circumstances of what really happened.'
Born in 1948 in Casablanca to a Jewish family, Sion Assidon is a historical figure in Moroccan activism. A prominent far-left figure, he spent twelve years in prison between 1972 and 1984 for undermining state security.
In 1996, he co-founded the anti-corruption association Transparency Morocco, and in 2010, launched the Moroccan branch of BDS.
The Observatory's statement expressed 'full solidarity' with Assidon and his family, wishing him a 'speedy recovery' so he could 'resume his commitment.'
It also underlined Assidon's dedication to fighting against genocide, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid, as well as his sacrifices, including years of imprisonment for defending democracy.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Morocco Contributes to International Operation Seizes 3 Tons of Cocaine off Canary Islands
Rabat — Morocco participated in an international maritime operation that led to the interception of the tugboat 'Sky White' off the Canary Islands, carrying approximately 3 tons of cocaine bound for Europe. The Spanish Civil Guard and Customs Surveillance Service carried out the intervention and arrested 5 people aboard the Cameroon-flagged vessel. The suspects include four from Bangladesh and one from Venezuela. According to a Civil Guard statement, this seizure results from a joint investigation that Moroccan security services and France's National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED) started. Since the summer of 2024, authorities have suspected this ship of large-scale international drug trafficking. Investigations revealed that the Sky White regularly used the port of Dakhla as a strategic point to escape surveillance by European authorities. The report indicated that, from the Moroccan port, the vessel crossed the Atlantic several times each year, returning loaded with cocaine for the European market. Spanish authorities said that the Sky White then acted as a mother ship that delivered drugs to smaller boats in areas near the Canary Islands or the Iberian Peninsula. This case's investigation received support from police services in the United Kingdom (NCA), the United States (DEA), and Portugal (Judicial Police). The Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Intelligence Center (CITCO) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N) also coordinated these efforts, the statement added. The operation is part of the fight against international drug trafficking through the 'Atlantic Route,' a major drug trafficking axis linking South America and the Caribbean to Europe. Spanish authorities commend the effectiveness of international cooperation and the central role that Moroccan services played in dismantling this network. Morocco has been playing a major role in combating drug trafficking and international human trafficking. The country has foiled a whopping 92,346 drug-trafficking-related cases, arresting 119,692 individuals, including 287 foreigners. Tags: 3 Tons of cocainedrug traffickingInternational operation


Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Hassan II Foundation Denounces Wave of Anti-Moroccan Incidents Across Spain
Marrakech – The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad has issued a formal statement condemning a series of anti-Moroccan incidents and attacks that have occurred in Spain. In a press release published on Tuesday, the Foundation expressed 'the greatest concern' over what it called 'ominous developments that have no place in a democratic society.' 'In less than a month, the Moroccan community established in Spain has been the victim of serious incidents,' the statement noted. These include the burning of a mosque in Piera, organized violence against Moroccans ('Moor hunt') in Torre-Pacheco, hate messages on social media, and restrictions on Muslim worship practices in Jumilla. The Foundation also pointed to the suspension of Arabic language and cultural education programs by the autonomous community of Madrid and other municipalities as part of this troubling pattern. The violence in Torre-Pacheco began on July 9 when a 68-year-old man was assaulted. Far-right groups quickly distorted the incident, presenting it as evidence of 'migrant crime' and calling for action on the streets. By July 12-13, the situation had escalated into organized violence after online calls for a 'cacería' (hunt) targeting migrants. At least five people were injured and one person was detained during the second night of clashes; police deployed reinforcements as groups wearing far-right symbols confronted mostly North African (notably Moroccan) residents. Four nights of tension followed, with police charges, cordons, and dozens of incidents logged across the San Antonio neighborhood, where many Moroccan families live. Reuters called it 'one of the worst such episodes in Spain in recent decades,' noting Torre-Pacheco's large foreign-born workforce in agriculture and recalling the El Ejido riots (2000) as the last comparable shock. The Foundation stated it had previously warned about rising xenophobia. 'In 2010, during an academic meeting in Seville, the Foundation had already alerted against the rise of xenophobic and Islamophobic discourse on social networks,' the press release stated. 'If, at the time, this discourse was considered imported from abroad, it is unfortunately today endogenous and expresses growing hostility towards Moroccans and foreigners.' From a street assault to organized racist 'hunts' Misinformation played a key role in inflaming and fueling tensions. A viral video clip misrepresented as showing the assault on the pensioner was later debunked by the victim himself, the town hall, and the Guardia Civil. The footage actually originated from an unrelated incident months earlier in Almería. Fact-checking units documented more hoaxes, including a list of 'five Maghrebis' falsely named as suspects. Spain's public broadcaster and international outlets traced how Instagram/Telegram call-to-action posts turned into on-the-ground hunts; the Interior Minister condemned the 'racist persecutions' and blamed the far right's online ecosystem for escalation. Spanish authorities have responded with legal action. By July 24, police had identified approximately 300 individuals for possible offenses connected to the unrest. Charges range from public disorder to hate crimes. A suspected leader of the supremacist network 'Deport Them Now UE' was arrested in Mataró for allegedly inciting the violence in Torre-Pacheco. Prosecutors have opened hate-crime investigations into public statements surrounding the riots, including those made by José Ángel Antelo, the Vox regional leader in Murcia. The scope of these incidents extended beyond Torre-Pacheco. On July 12, arsonists destroyed a newly constructed mosque in Piera, near Barcelona. More than 1,000 people later marched in protest under the banner 'Mezquita sí, odio no' (Mosque yes, hatred no). The Foundation acknowledged those who opposed these acts. It recognized 'the public and moral authorities, political parties, various components of civil society and the press who have reacted firmly and with dignity to these sad events.' In its conclusion, the Foundation offered support to affected Moroccan citizens. 'The Foundation also pays tribute to the courage, maturity and civic-mindedness of our Moroccan compatriots who are victims of these drifts and assures them of its full solidarity, support and assistance in defending their rights and interests.' Spain's anti-racism observatory (OBERAXE) recorded more than 54,000 hate-speech items in June alone, indicating a sharp increase that contributed to July's violence. At the European level, MEPs have formally questioned the Commission regarding the 'grave racist attacks' in Torre-Pacheco and the role of far-right coordination online. The UN Alliance of Civilizations chief Miguel Ángel Moratinos condemned both the arson and the wider racist climate in Spain. Read also: Spanish PM, Moroccan Consulate Condemn Hostile Attacks on Moroccans, Migrants


Ya Biladi
8 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Morocco's Royal Armed Forces consider Rafale F4 purchase
After an unsuccessful bid in the fall of 2007, the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) are once again considering the acquisition of Rafale jets from France. «In Morocco, Dassault Aviation's Rafale is making a strong comeback!» reported the French outlet Avions Légendaires. A source in Morocco told Yabiladi that FAR is eyeing a purchase of six Rafale F4 aircraft, along with missiles and other equipment. This renewed interest comes amid strengthened ties between Rabat and Paris, particularly following President Emmanuel Macron's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara on July 30, 2024. During Macron's visit to Morocco in October 2024, Minister Delegate for National Defense Administration Abdellatif Loudiyi met with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu. That meeting paved the way for a bilateral agreement in July 2025, following a visit to Rabat by Emmanuel Chiva, France's Director General of Armament, to establish a joint armament committee. Marathon 2025 » military exercise held in June.