Abdelfattah Dihaj, 40-years-old, was arrested for the attack on the Argana Café. He was accused of not having speaking out against those involved in the attack on 28 April 2011. On 9 March 2012, he was found guilty on appeal and was sentenced to two years in prison on the basis of confessions he was forced to sign under torture.

On 6 June 2011, Mr. Dihaj was arrested at his house by agents of the judicial police. During his 12 hours in custody, Mr. Dihaj was tortured, beaten, humiliated and forced to declare himself guilty despite the fact that he was not implicated in the events. Despite the fact that he notified judges of his torture, the judge found him guilty on the sole basis of the confessions obtained by torture, in a violation of the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights.

Mr. Dihaj is afflicted with a physical handicap in his feet and is not able to get around without crutches. He was detained in Salé Prison in inhumane conditions and began a hunger strike, which he recently suspended following promises by prison officials to improve the conditions of his detention.

On 10 April 2012, Alkarama submitted the case of Mr. Dihaj to the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations. We ask that they intervene with the Moroccan authorities to remind them of their international obligations, especially the obligation to make reparations for the violations of which Mr. Dihaj is a victim.

• For further information, please refer to the Report submitted to the Committee against Torture as part of the fourth periodic review of Morocco.