Rabat demands answers after Moroccan man dies during arrest in Italy

Italian Prime Minister Meloni says truth must be ‘pursued to the very end’ after death of Abderrahim Fakir in Bologna.Morocco is demanding that Italian authorities explain the death of one of the kingdom’s nationals during his arrest in Bologna, an event that has led to massive protests in the northern Italian city.Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that it has asked Italy to “fully clarify” the details of 42-year-old Abderrahim Fakir’s death and determine responsibility.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘Offer he can’t refuse’: Is Italy’s mafia law breaking crime or families?list 2 of 3Belgium bans imports from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinelist 3 of 3Europe should look to Africa for heatwave solutionsend of listThe ministry also called on Rome to take appropriate legal measures after Fakir was tackled to the ground by police and died.Moreover, the Italy" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="169323" data-entity-type="organization">Moroccan embassy in Italy said: “It is in the interest of everyone that full light be shed on this tragedy, by establishing the full circumstances of the events with rigour, impartiality and transparency.”On the same day, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for the “truth right to the end” in a post on X, calling his death “unacceptable”.“It is imperative that any potential responsibilities are thoroughly investigated with the utmost rigour. The truth must be pursued to the very end, without prejudice and without leniency for anyone,” she said.“But nothing can justify violence against law enforcement. Those who chose to use this incident as a pretext to set the city ablaze, assault officers, and sow violence – also endangering the safety of innocent bystanders completely unrelated to the unrest – were not seeking the truth: they were seeking confrontation,” Meloni added.However, Ilaria Cucchi, an MP from the opposition Green and Left Alliance, accused Meloni and her right-wing coalition government of pursuing policies “steeped in hatred and racism” that have aided in creating a climate of violence.