SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: April 04, 2022

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Region & Country:Northern Africa | Morocco

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On April 4, 2022, Members of Al-Adl wal-Ihsan, an Islamist association, clashed with members of the National Union of Moroccan Students (UNEM) at Abdelmalek Essaâdi University.

According to Yabiladi, the clashes occurred against the backdrop of student elections organized by UNEM. Video footage shows the opposing groups throwing objects at each other inside a building, as well as broken chairs and tables. A number of students were reportedly hospitalized as a result of the violence and classes were suspended.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent, on-campus clashes amidst student elections. Students must refrain from physical violence in response to expression with which they disagree. Likewise, state and university authorities should take reasonable steps to respond to and prevent such attacks, including by investigating and holding perpetrators accountable.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://article19.ma/accueil/archives/152737
https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/126151/maroc-violences-entre-etudiants-gauche.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVDvei0LTqk&ab_channel=portefeuillep%C3%A9dagogique