Rabat demands answers after Moroccan man dies during arrest in Italy

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedSportOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israel war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsDonald Trumpcaret-rightNews|PoliceRabat demands answers after Moroccan man dies during arrest in ItalyItalian Prime Minister Meloni says truth must be ‘pursued to the very end’ after death of Abderrahim Fakir in Bologna. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoA protester kneels, raises a fist and holds a portrait of Abderrahim Fakir during a demonstration on Monday, July 20, 2026, a day after Fakir’s death after he was restrained by police, in Bologna, Italy [Michele Lapini/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff and AFPPublished On 22 Jul 202622 Jul 2026Morocco 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. The ministry also called on Rome to take appropriate legal measures after Fakir was tackled to the ground by police and died. Moreover, the 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. On Monday, demonstrations erupted in Bologna as residents condemned the police’s actions, which had led to the death of Fakir on Sunday. According to Italian police, clashes between protesters and police forces broke out, leaving 54 officers injured. Italian news channel Sky TG24 reported that 11 protesters were also injured. On the same day, prosecutors opened an inquiry into the death of Fakir, who had arrived in Italy at the age of five. In a video taken by a resident, Fakir is seen calling for help as two policemen pressed him to the ground chest first for several minutes, leading to his death. According to Italian media reports, police had been called to the scene by neighbours who had been concerned by Fakir’s erratic behaviour, with police officers having told the ambulance personnel that he was having a “psychiatric episode”. Fakir’s niece said at a rally called by Bologna’s left-wing Mayor Matteo Lepore on Monday that they were calling for justice. “We are not here to ask for hatred, we are not here to ask for revenge. We are here to ask for the truth,” said Yossra Fakir. The incident has drawn parallels with United States police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, who died after an officer knelt on his neck, cutting off his air supply. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: