In spite of its liberal image abroad, Morocco tolerates little dissent at home. On June 27, fifty-two activists tied to recent protests in the state’s northern Rif region were sentenced to prison terms. Those convicted included the leader of the so-called Al-Hirak movement — Nasser Zefzafi, handed a twenty-year sentence for “plotting to attack national security.” From October 2016 to summer 2017, the Rif — especially the Mediterranean coastal city of Al-Hoceima — saw unprecedented protests centered around regional identity and economic justice. The movement was the country’s largest since 2011, when Morocco’s version of the Arab Spring ushered in modest constitutional reforms. The nation remains a hereditary monarchy ruled by King Mohammed VI.

For more analysis on the recent movement in the Rif, state repression, and the future of democracy in Morocco, Jacobin’s Cole Stangler spoke with Maati Monjib. Monjib is a journalist, historian and longtime left-wing activist. Since returning to Morocco from exile in 2000, he has faced persecution of his own. In 2015, the government accused him of “threatening national security,” shortly after he helped organize a training session for amateur journalists. Decried by international observers, Monjib’s trial is ongoing and part of the state’s larger clampdown on critics and independent journalists. This interview has been edited and translated from French to English.