Human Rights In Morocco
Morocco  | |
|---|---|
| This article is part of the series on Morocco's political , Subseries on policy . | |
| |
The record of human rights in Morocco is mixed. On the one hand, Morocco has made considerable progress since the end of the "leaden years" of King Hassan II (1961-1999). Nevertheless, despite the modernization brought by his son King Mohammed VI , complaints are still being made against the abuse of power.
Democracy and Election
The most recent elections to the House of Representatives in September 2002 and the Councils of Government in September 2003 were widely considered free and fair, but at the sight of the political role of the king, the Moroccans do not have the capacity to change the government.
Freedom of expression
The freedom of the press is relatively good compared to most countries of North Africa and the Middle East , although many journalists practice to pass the censor. Criticize the legitimacy of the monarchy is taboo. The debate on political Islam is severely limited due to the " territorial integrity "of Morocco's illegal. In 2005, the famous Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet was "banned from practicing journalism for 10 years" and sentenced to a fine of 50,000 dirhams (about 4,500 euros) for a report on the conflict of Western Sahara according to Reporters Without Borders. In 2007, Lmrabet was still under the ban.
With the emergence of some independent magazines francophones , as Telquel and Le Journal Hebdomadaire and its equivalent in Arabic Al Assahifa Ousbouia, government control over the media has become less direct and involves more subtle pressures such as lawsuits and libel . In this report, Morocco was designated, with Tunisia as the Arab country that imprisons the most journalists.
Internet access is virtually free, but some sites are rarely censored from time to time without explanation. The sites are mainly the Western Sahara conflict, or the Islamists.
Political Persecution
Political repression against dissidents has sharply declined since the mid-1990s. The decades before, sometimes called "Years of Lead", saw disappearances, assassinations of political opponents in government, and incommunicado detentions in camps as Tazmamart. To examine the abuses committed during the reign of Hassan II, the government has established a Justice and Reconciliation Commission which aims to rehabilitate victims and to provide financial compensation for violations of their rights.
There are persistent allegations of violence against demonstrators Sahraoui , supporters of the independence of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic or Frente Polisario in Western Sahara , which Morocco considers as its territory. Morocco has also been accused of holding prisoners of conscience Sahrawis .
In May 2006 a delegation from the office of High Commissioner for UN Human Rights (OHCHR) visited the disputed territory of Western Sahara and its relationship to sharply criticized the lack of human rights the most basic in the region, particularly with regard to the Sahrawi people ..
In October the same year, Morocco banned a visit by the European Parliament which had been organized and approved previously. The decision was taken 48 hours with the departure of the delegation to Rabat and Western Sahara. Its mission was to investigate allegations of violations of human rights committed by the Polisario as the Moroccan authorities , , .
Morocco, explained that the majority of the members of the delegation were known supporters of the Polisario Front, and that therefore the neutrality of the delegation was not guaranteed. Chairman of the delegation, Mr. Ioannis Kassoulides , refuted these allegations saying that the composition of the group was outside the purview of Morocco, and secondly that Morocco had previously accepted the composition of the group and that Morocco was also been invited to correct the program of the visit.
Freedom of religion
The freedom of religion in general is a reality, with some limitations. Although Islam is the official state religion, Moroccans can practice other religions . Nevertheless, there are restrictions to the proselytizing Christian and political activities in connection with Islam. There are still a community Moroccan Jewish , although most Jews emigrated to Israel in France and Canada and in several other countries in the world during the years that followed the creation of that state in 1948.
Social Rights and Equal
Women and Families
In 2005, the Parliament of Morocco agreed to a timetable for improving the status of women and children and adopts a new law on family, called Moudawana , which is widely regarded as very progressive in terms of regional practices. In addition to participating in joint electoral lists, women have a list of parliament in elections that guaranteed them at least 10% of the seats.
Meanwhile, in September 2006, a national observatory designed to combat violence against women was created. Many ministries, departments, universities and national associations of women must coordinate their efforts .
In 2006 was written on the transfer of nationality to her children by Moroccan father. Soumya Naamane Guessous, Moroccan sociologist, has launched a campaign to extend the transmission from mother to her children. This possibility has not been written in the Moudawana but is granted a royal decision of October 2006 .
Berber Identity
On 17 October 2001 , the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture was established in the speech of King Mohammed VI to maintain and develop the language and culture Berbers.
Homosexuality
The homosexuality in Morocco is considered illegal under Article 489 of the Penal Code , it can be punished by a term of imprisonment ranging from 6 months to 3 years and a fine ranging from 120 to 1200 dirhams.
Reforms of the police and army
In 2006, some reforms have begun on the police and the army. On 16 October 2006 , was disbanded a unit called the Urban Security Group (GUS) recently established yet.
If many Moroccans considered the presence of GUS as a benefit, many others saw as a return to the law of Makhzen .
The dissolution took place after many critics denouncing the excesses or abuses of power were reported. Irresponsible actions of some of its members returned to the public opinion against GUS.
Death penalty
Between 1956 and 1993, 198 people were sentenced to death, with a break of 11 years between January 1982 and August 1993. The Equity and Reconciliation Commission has estimated the number to 528 people were executed legally or not during the reign of Hassan II and since 1993 no death sentence has been executed although many convictions have received the death penalty during this period .
Talk about this issue was taboo for decades . The main entity in the Field, recently created in 2003, the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty in Morocco (CNAPM) representing seven associations for common slogan is to lead the fight.
At the political level, the situation is paradoxical. The government is officially the de facto abolition. Nevertheless, the Minister of Justice declared that terrorism is an obstacle to the de jure abolition of the death penalty and death sentences are still handed down, especially terrorism.
It should be noted that the direction of the Committee for Justice and Reconciliation voted for abolition.
In October 2006 it was announced that the matter would be presented to the Moroccan parliament for a vote expected in spring 2007. There may be a bitter political battle between the moderate Islamist Party of Justice and Development Party (supporters of the death penalty Controversy of 2006 on secret CIA prisons Following the attacks of May 16, 2003 in Casablanca , groups for human rights accused Morocco of mistreatment and torture of detainees. Some Moroccan and international media have also claimed that the country had established the internment camps of the CIA (the so-called secret prisons) on its territory where violations of human rights was perpetuated . In September 2006, activists demanded that the Morocco recognizes the existence of such secret detention centers . Previously, in 2005, Vanessa Saenen of Human Rights Watch said: "We are informed by people who were imprisoned at Guantanamo as secret detention centers exist. Even the U.S. government does not try to hide it, and we have reports of prisoners released in Jordan, Morocco, Egypt and Libya, without confirmation for Romania and Poland " . Note: Unless otherwise noted, the following links are in English. Videos Organizations and Associations
Internal Links
External Links
References
Loading ...