Morocco: Halt use of excessive force following crackdown on youth protests

There must be an immediate and independent investigation into the Moroccan security forces’ violent crackdown on youth protests, following credible reports that at least three protesters have been killed, dozens of others injured, and more than 400 people arrested across Morocco since late September 2025, Amnesty International said today.

The protests, described as Gen Z-led, began peacefully but the authorities responded with unlawful force and mass arbitrary arrests. For example, on the evening of 30 September, video footage reviewed by Amnesty International shows security forces deliberately driving their vehicles at protesters or violently arresting them. Eyewitnesses also described to Amnesty International how security forces forcefully arrested protesters. Over the following two nights, some violence was reported on the part of protesters, in some cases, police property was destroyed, while protests in other places remained peaceful. 

“We are deeply alarmed by emerging evidence of Moroccan security forces’ use of excessive force and mass arrests of protesters and bystanders. The authorities should ensure a transparent investigation into the deaths that occurred and must respond to any incidents of violence by exercising restraint in line with international guidelines. Morocco’s authorities must ensure the right to peaceful protest is protected. No one should be punished for exercising their human rights, demanding their economic or social rights or an end to corruption,” said Heba Morayef, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

“Under international law, the use of lethal force by law enforcement officials is prohibited unless it is strictly unavoidable to protect life. Authorities must adopt all available measures to avoid resorting to the use of force, and where force is unavoidable, it should be strictly necessary and proportionate, and they must ensure it is used with precaution to minimize harm.”

Amnesty International has reviewed tens of videos circulated on social media showing security forces, sometimes in civilian clothes, forcibly arresting peaceful protesters on 28 and 29 September and taking them to police vans. 

We are deeply alarmed by emerging evidence of Moroccan security forces’ use of excessive force and mass arrests of protesters and bystanders.

Heba Morayef, Amnesty International

One protester described to Amnesty International how security forces in plain clothes surrounded individual protesters: “I saw a girl who was sitting on the floor, doing nothing, not even chanting or shouting slogans get carried forcibly by security forces, she was asking them ‘what did I do?’ and saying ‘it’s my right to be here’ but they did not answer her and shoved her violently into the van.”

Another protester from Casablanca said the police were “specifically targeting anyone who spoke to the media, I saw them rush towards a person who was giving an interview to two journalists, he was speaking into the microphones when the police came from behind him and forcibly carried him away.” Some protesters were arrested as they were giving statements to the media, as captured on videos posted online. 

These practices raise serious concerns about arbitrary detention, lack of due process, and the chilling effect on the exercise of the right to freedom of assembly.

Video footage reviewed by Amnesty International shows security forces vehicles drive straight into a group of protesters on the night between 30 September and 1 October in Oujda, resulting in at least one serious injury. 

Such actions constitute a dangerous and unlawful use of force, placing lives at risk and escalating violence. 

Intentionally using vehicles to strike demonstrators who pose no imminent threat to life is a flagrant violation of international human rights standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms, which require authorities to minimize harm and protect life at all times.

Official figures indicate that 409 people have been arrested since 28 September, with at least 193 facing trial, many on bail. Lawyers Amnesty International have spoken to have said that the number still detained remains difficult to confirm because it is constantly changing. 

The protesters facing trial, including minors, are currently facing charges under Article 591 of the Moroccan Penal Code, which criminalizes participation in gatherings deemed violent, despite the fact that these protesters were arrested on 28 and 29 September, before any acts of violence were reported.

“The Moroccan authorities must immediately drop charges against anyone detained solely for exercising their right of peaceful assembly. The Moroccan authorities, under international human rights obligations, must respect and safeguard the right to protest. Rather than resorting to suppression, the government should address the legitimate demands of youth for better education, equitable healthcare, decent employment opportunities, transparency, and anti-corruption measures,” said Heba Morayef. 

Background

Protests erupted in late September 2025 across multiple Moroccan cities including Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Tangier, Salé, Oujda, and Rabat. The mobilization was driven by widespread frustration over failing public services, high unemployment, corruption, and vast spending on the 2030 World Cup.

The youth-led movement, identifying itself as “Gen Z 212”, has been largely decentralized and organized through social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Discord.

For several days, protests remained peaceful. Violence was only reported starting on the nights of 30 September and 1 October, when clashes escalated, vehicles were set on fire, and security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets, and lethal ammunition. According to the Moroccan Interior Ministry, at least 263 security force personnel and 23 civilians have been injured during the unrest.

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Georgia: Elections marred by severe reprisals and risk of further violence

Georgia’s 4 October local elections are taking place amid severe political reprisals against opposition figures and civil society, Amnesty International said.

The human rights organization has documented a sweeping campaign of repression, including politically motivated prosecutions of opposition figures, the silencing of independent media and civil society through restrictive laws and punitive measures, and the widespread arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of protesters.

“With opposition leaders jailed and civil society organizations under attack, the Georgian authorities are holding an election campaign in a context where people’s rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly are being crushed,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director.

“The Georgian authorities must uphold their human rights obligations and stop the unlawful use of police force, arbitrary detentions and the torture or other ill-treatment of protesters. These abuses have already pushed the country into a deep human rights crisis following parliamentary elections in October 2024.”

Opposition leaders behind bars, dissent effectively criminalized

The misuse of the criminal justice system to sideline critics violates their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Since late 2024, dozens of political activists and protesters have been targeted with criminal prosecutions. At least 60 people have been detained on criminal charges in connection with their participation in anti-government protests, with dozens already sentenced to prison terms following unfair trials.

Among them are nine opposition figures who remain in custody. The most recent arrest, on 29 September 2025, was of politician Gela Khasaia from the Girchi – More Freedom party. He was accused of “intentionally causing minor bodily harm” during a violent incident which he claims he witnessed, rather than participated in. He reported being fully stripped, insulted and psychologically pressured while in police custody.

Civil society and independent media under assault

Independent civil society groups and media are being silenced through restrictive laws and a wide range of legal and other measures. Independent NGOs are forced to register under the “foreign influence” law and subjected to arbitrary intrusive inspections, criminal investigations and asset freezes. Several civil society groups have had their bank accounts blocked under criminal proceedings based on unfounded “sabotage” allegations, with their leaders facing repeated questioning before judicial and state bodies, and  other forms of intimidation. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) announced that it will not be able to conduct electoral observation due to the repressive environment.

Independent media outlets face similar reprisals. The Mtavari Arkhi TV-broadcaster has been forced off air since 1 May 2025. Other outlets have been targeted with politically motivated defamation suits, fines and criminal probes to supress their critical reporting. Journalists covering protests have faced assault, verbal abuse, arbitrary detention and harassment by police. At least one foreign journalist seeking to cover the elections has been denied entry to Georgia.

Background

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze labelled the organizers of protests planned on 4 October as “radical” and pledged a “strict” response, which in the current context appears a thinly-veiled threat of more use of unlawful force by police.

More than 500 protesters were detained in late 2024 alone, most on spurious administrative charges. At least 300 detainees reported torture or other ill-treatment, with dozens injured during the protests or in detention, and requiring hospitalization. Pro-government groups have violently attacked demonstrators. Despite overwhelming evidence of human rights violations, not a single police officer has been brought to account.  

Women protesters continue to face gender-based violence and gendered reprisals, including sexist insults, threats of sexual violence, and degrading strip searches, despite the Ministry of Justice’s June 2025 pledge to end unlawful full-body strip searches. On 8 September 2025, government supporters physically and verbally assaulted protesters and journalists, among them women, who assembled in front of the Tbilisi Mayor’s campaign office. The mayor responded to the attacks and the sexualized abuse with a misogynistic statement: “There isn’t a single woman here… it’s some other breed.”

Hundreds of civil servants have been reportedly dismissed as part of politically motivated purges.

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Israel/ OPT: Catastrophic wave of mass displacement under inhumane conditions as Israel obliterates Gaza City

The intensification of Israel’s brutal military offensive in Gaza City since mid-August has unleashed a new catastrophic phase of mass forced displacement, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians – many of whom have already been uprooted multiple times -into overcrowded enclaves in the south of the occupied Gaza Strip that lack access to clean water, food, medical care, shelter and life-sustaining infrastructure, Amnesty International said today.

Since it escalated its operations in Gaza City, the Israeli military has adopted a series of measures designed to sow panic among the city’s residents and to forcibly displace them, knowingly, into unsafe areas unequipped to receive them. These tactics include issuing unlawful and sweeping mass displacement orders, beginning a campaign to destroy multi-story residential buildings where hundreds of displaced families have been sheltering, deploying explosive remote-controlled vehicles to carry out controlled demolitions, as well as intensifying aerial bombardments on already overcrowded neighborhoods and refugee camps. 

“As Israel steps up its cataclysmic onslaught, it appears hell-bent on obliterating Gaza City, deliberately driving out its entire population, levelling large swathes of the city, and seizing full control. For nearly two years, Palestinians civilians throughout the Gaza Strip have been bombarded, starved, and subjected to wave after wave of mass forced displacement, as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza. Deliberately inflicting yet another devastating wave of mass displacement amidst this suffering is not just inhumane, it is a flagrant violation of international law,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns at Amnesty International.

On the morning of 1 October, the Israeli military announced that movement on al-Rashid (coastal) road from south to north would be blocked by noon, indicating that those displaced would not be allowed back and also obstructing movement of the few transportation vehicles available for transferring displaced people and their belongings. Hours later, Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, issued the following statement on X (formerly Twitter): “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas terrorists isolated in Gaza City itself face-to-face against IDF action which continues at full intensity. Those who stay in Gaza [city] will be terrorists and terror supporters.”

“Such is the level of impunity granted to Israeli leaders that the country’s defence minister can unashamedly issue a public statement that effectively nullifies one of the core principles of international humanitarian law: the obligation to distinguish at all times between civilians and military targets. By threatening that the hundreds of thousands who remain in Gaza City will be treated as ‘terrorists’ and ‘terror supporters’ Israel’s defence minister is effectively giving a green light for war crimes, including the targeting of civilians and imposition of collective punishment, said Erika Guevara Rosas.

Hospitals and health facilities in Gaza City are collapsing and humanitarian organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross, have been forced to suspend their operations in the city as a result of the latest escalation.  

While there are no accurate figures for the number of people who have been forcibly displaced from Gaza City since mid-August, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the site-management cluster has recorded over 400,000 movements from north to south Gaza, mainly to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. The waves of displacement have particularly escalated since 5 September, when the Israeli military announced and began a concerted operation targeting high-rise buildings, followed by a mass displacement order to the whole of Gaza City on 9 September.

However, hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped under relentless bombardment in Gaza City and the north of the Gaza Strip. Many are unable to flee because they cannot afford transportation costs or because the small area designated by Israel for evacuation is overcrowded and not fit for human habitation. For people with disabilities, older people, and people who have long exhausted their support networks, there is effectively no choice but to remain where they are.

We stayed despite the heavy bombardment; we lost count of the number of times we escaped death; every night was worse than the one before.

Shireen, Displaced woman who stayed with her family in al-Shati refugee camp despite displacement orders

“Whether people are staying in Gaza City because they have nowhere else to go, lack the means to flee amidst a dire shortage of fuel and shelter as a result of Israel’s unlawful blockade, or cannot bear yet another humiliating displacement and its consequences, Israel cannot be allowed to deny civilians in Gaza City the protection they are entitled to. They must be granted unimpeded access to services and supplies indispensable to their survival and must be protected against unlawful attacks,” said Erika Guevara Rosas. 

Amnesty International interviewed 16 displaced people who were forced out of Gaza City between 6 and 17 September. They were staying in four different areas of the Deir al-Balah governorate, where they have no access to basic services. For toilets, they have to dig a small hole in the ground just behind their tent and surround it with a thick nylon cover. Younger children, no older than 10, are tasked with carrying a gallon of water to their tent. Seven of the 16 displaced people interviewed had to make the grueling journey from Gaza City to Deir al-Balah, some 20km, on foot. 

‘Leaving my sick daughter behind is my worst nightmare’

On 5 September, the Israeli military announced the start of a campaign to demolish high-rise residential buildings, many already battered by months of Israel’s relentless bombardment. These buildings, and the clusters of tents in their immediate vicinity, had been serving as shelters for thousands of people, mostly displaced families. The buildings were often surrounded by tents in squalid, overcrowded makeshift camps housing people mostly from North Gaza and East Gaza City. The majority of those displaced have already been forcibly displaced multiple times and have nowhere safe to go or are unable to leave because they are malnourished, sick, injured or have disabilities. Demolitions therefore uprooted thousands, compounding a spiraling displacement crisis crafted and engineered by Israel. 

Mirvat, a 46-year-old mother of four, has been sleeping on a traffic island along Salaheddine street in Deir al-Balah after her seventh displacement. Due to chronic pain in her legs, the journey from Gaza City to the central area, on foot, took her two days. 

Mirvat told Amnesty International: “My daughter, 25, has cancer, but I had to leave her behind in Gaza City because she cannot make the journey on foot and because as long as we cannot find a proper shelter here, it’s impossible for her to move. She needs to go to the hospital every month to receive treatment, which she has not been able to do since the end of August, because the road from where she is staying in Tal al-Hawa to al-Nasr Street is too dangerous. Leaving my sick daughter behind is my worst nightmare.”

Weam, a mother of three, was also forced to leave her two children, aged seven and five, with their grandmother in Gaza City until she finds shelter in Deir al-Balah. She said: “I can sleep on the street, but my children are too young. Can you imagine the choice that we have: in Gaza City, my children are staying at a damaged house but the bombing doesn’t stop; here, it is quieter but we have no roof over my head.”

‘The fear of these explosive robots is what forced us to leave’

Israeli forces continue to deploy explosive-laden remote-controlled vehicles, dubbed ‘robots’ by residents, to carry out controlled detonations across Gaza City. Seven people interviewed by Amnesty International said the advance of these vehicles into their neighborhoods left families with no option but to abandon their homes in fear for their lives.

As Israel steps up its cataclysmic onslaught, it appears hell-bent on obliterating Gaza City, deliberately driving out its entire population, levelling large swathes of the city, and seizing full control.

Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International

Firyal, a mother of six, who was displaced from Shuja’iya on 3 April 2025, sought refuge in al-Jalil secondary school for girls, turned into a makeshift camp for displaced people, in Tal al-Hawa, a neighbourhood of Gaza City. She said she has been looking for a place to stay for over 10 days to no avail, noting that schools turned into shelters have already exceeded their capacity and that renting privately owned land has become prohibitively expensive.

She told Amnesty International that all night they heard the terrifying sounds of bulldozing: “The fear of these explosive robots is what forced us to leave; we set up our tent near the beach, but then they dropped leaflets ordering us to leave again, so we were displaced on Saturday on 17 September. We could not afford to hire transportation…we had already paid everything we have just to buy canned food, so we moved from Gaza City to Deir al-Balah on foot, leaving in the morning, and arriving at night. We couldn’t find anywhere to stay, so as you see we are literally sleeping on the street, on this traffic island in Salaheddine street. We use some of the children’s clothes as blankets. The tent we used to have was torn to pieces after the Israelis bombed a nearby building next to us. We are constantly at risk of being trampled upon by the trucks that pass through here. There is nothing to protect us.”

‘Nowhere else to go’

Over the past month hundreds of thousands of Gaza City residents have been displaced either to Deir al-Balah governorate or to al-Mawasi and Khan Younis. Many of those who stayed could not leave because they could not afford to pay for transport, amidst the extreme shortage of fuel. Even if they could afford to pay for transportation, buying a tent, renting a small apartment, or renting a plot of land where the tent could be pitched is beyond the already depleted resources of most.

Raeda, who has been displaced four times since April 2025, first from Shuja’iya to al-Nafaq, then to Tal al-Hawa in Gaza City and now in Al-Zawayda, near Deir al-Balah said:

“I have been sleeping on the streets, without even a tent, for the past 10 days. We are a family of seven, all of us sleep in the open; we cannot rest; we don’t have any privacy, there is no life here. We haven’t showered for days.”

Another displaced woman, Shireen, and her family stayed in al-Shati refugee camp despite leaflets informing them about displacement orders as they had nowhere to go and all the places they asked about in the south were overloaded. On 15 September 2025, they received a phone call from the Israeli military ordering them to leave by name. Shireen said: “We stayed despite the heavy bombardment; we lost count of the number of times we escaped death; every night was worse than the one before; a building near us was bombed and completely destroyed, but we left after the Israeli army called us and ordered us to leave. We told the guy on the phone that we have nowhere to go. So, we came here to Al-Zawayda and since our displacement we have been sleeping in the open air.”

This was the eighth time they have been displaced since the beginning of the war, but this time was the hardest because, as she said: “At least before we could carry with us a tent; we had our solar panel; we had some money; now we have nothing; we paid everything we have to secure the transportation fees.”

“With people and families stretched beyond every limit, a humanitarian catastrophe is further deepening in all its cruelty, day after day. Repeated forced displacements under inhumane conditions, the systematic destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure, and the suffocating blockade form part of Israel’s deliberate policy calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinians in Gaza,” said Erika Guevara Rosas. 

“Palestinians in Gaza have long been passed the point of no return, each day costs lives and crushes humanity. States must uphold their obligations under international law to bring Israel’s genocide against Palestinians to an end. Symbolic acts, such as recognizing the State of Palestine while continuing to supply arms to Israel and failing to address impunity for atrocity crimes, are not effective. States must use their leverage to secure an immediate ceasefire and force Israel to stop its genocide in Gaza. The unlawful occupation of the entire occupied Palestinian territory must end, and Israel’s system of apartheid must be dismantled without delay.”

Note: For the interviewees’ safety, the organization has withheld last names.

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Pakistan: Authorities must protect the right to peaceful protest and lift communications blackout amid Jammu & Kashmir protests 

Responding to reports of the deaths of at least nine people, including six protesters and three police officers, and injuries to hundreds of others during ongoing protests in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir which have taken place amid a communications blackout in the region, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said: 

“The situation in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir was preventable and now the priority of the authorities must be to ensure that there are no further injuries or loss of life. There should also be an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into all incidents of deaths and injuries, including investigating the excessive use of force by law enforcement, and all those responsible must be held to account.  

“This is not the first time the authorities have cracked down on peaceful protests in the region. Pakistani authorities have a positive obligation under international human rights law to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to facilitate and protect peaceful protesters. Even in instances where some protesters turn violent, the peaceful participants should not be prevented from protesting peacefully. Law enforcement must assess the situation on a case-by-case basis and should attempt non-violent means first before resorting to the use of force, which must be necessary and strictly proportionate to the seriousness of the offence. 

The situation in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir was preventable and now the priority of the authorities must be to ensure that there are no further injuries or loss of life

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia

“Regrettably, the total communication blackout in the region has further exacerbated the situation, creating panic, restricting mobility, impacting access to essential services, and increasing the possibility of misinformation. The Pakistani authorities must immediately lift the blanket communication ban to allow people to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and access to information.” 

Background

According to government officials, nearly 172 police personnel and 50 protesters were injured in the protests. Protest organizers have claimed that over 100 protesters have been injured following police use of lethal force. 

The protests have been organized by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), an alliance demanding civil liberties and political rights in the region, demanding an end to special privileges for government officials, restoration of student unions, access to free and quality healthcare and education, among others. The JKJAAC had engaged in talks with the government before calling for a region-wide strike on 29 September. In the lead up to the strike, the government shut down all mobile, landline and internet services in the region since 28 September. 

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Israel’s unlawful interception of Global Sumud Flotilla illustrates its determination to continue deliberately starving Palestinians in Gaza 

Responding to reports that Israeli forces have intercepted at least 39 vessels and detained dozens of crew members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was attempting to break Israel’s illegal blockade and deliver essential humanitarian aid to the occupied Gaza Strip, amidst Israel’s ongoing genocide, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard said: 

“Israel’s forceful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels and detention of its crew off the coast of Gaza is a brazen assault against solidarity activists carrying out an entirely peaceful humanitarian mission. This seizure comes after weeks of threats and incitement by Israeli officials against the flotilla and its participants and after several attempts to sabotage some of its ships.  

“By continuing to actively block vital aid to a population against whom Israel is committing genocide, including by inflicting famine, Israel is once again demonstrating its utter contempt for the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice and its own obligations as the occupying power to ensure Palestinians in Gaza have access to sufficient food and lifesaving humanitarian assistance.  

“The crew of the intercepted vessels must be immediately and unconditionally released. Their detention is unlawful, and Israel must be held fully accountable for their safety and ensure they are protected against any form of ill-treatment pending their release. 

This interception is not just about blocking aid; it is a calculated act of intimidation intended to punish and silence critics of Israel’s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza.

Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard

“This interception is not just about blocking aid; it is a calculated act of intimidation intended to punish and silence critics of Israel’s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza. The incitement and threats that preceded it are also a shameless attempt to demonize peaceful solidarity initiatives seeking to end Israel’s genocide and the cruel blockade it has imposed on Gaza since 2007 and significantly tightened since October 2023. We are gravely concerned for the safety of all those who have been detained so far, particularly Arab delegates and solidarity activists who have been targeted by an inflammatory smear campaign.  

“The Global Sumud Flotilla, whose crew composed of human rights defenders, doctors, parliamentarians, activists and journalists from over 40 countries, and other previous peaceful initiatives that attempted to break Israel’s unlawful blockade, have emerged as a powerful symbol of solidarity with besieged, starved and suffering Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The very fact that they had to set sail in the first place is a clear indictment of the international community’s persistent failure to end Israel’s ongoing genocide and to ensure the unhindered flow of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.  

The decades-long impunity for Israel’s blatant violations of international law must end, nothing can justify genocide. 

Agnès Callamard

“The time for mere condemnation is over. States worldwide must act now and now make clear that they will no longer tolerate Israel’s systematic starvation of Palestinians in Gaza nor its targeting of unarmed civilian humanitarian efforts. The decades-long impunity for Israel’s blatant violations of international law must end, nothing can justify genocide.  

“States must demand the immediate and safe return of all those detained and allow unhindered access to Gaza for the other ships. They must also press Israel to lift its suffocating 18-year blockade and allow humanitarian aid to be delivered through all crossings into and throughout Gaza now.” 

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