12 October 2010

Morocco: Prisoners Transferred en masse to Kenitra Central Prison

Alkarama has been informed that early on Saturday 9 October 2010 Moroccan authorities forcibly transferred between 89 and 140 detainees (according to sources) from prisons in Tangiers, Fes, Meknes, Souk Larbaa, Ben Slimane, Okacha prison complex in Casablanca, and El Jedida to a new building in Kenitra Central Prison.

The detainees were woken up in the early hours of Saturday 9 October 2010, shackled and blindfolded, before being transported to Kenitra Central Prison. Upon arrival, Mostafa Hajli, the director of Kenitra Central Prison, and his staff, stripped all the newcomers of their clothes, who were abused, insulted, hit and dragged and in some cases tied up while naked.

Alkarama condemns forced prison transfers and all form of tortures. This type of transfer affects not only the prisoners, but also their families who will suffer materially and emotionally, particularly those who live far away from Kenitra.

Alkarama asks the Moroccan authorities to respect their local laws and their international human rights obligations. Alkarama calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this most recent forced transferral, in order that the the rights of detainees be protected and that those responsible for the allegations of torture be punished.

Morocco - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Ratified on 03.05.1979
Optional Protocol: No

Last State report: Overdue since 07.07.2015
Last concluding observations: 01.12.2004

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Ratified on 21.06.1993
Optional Protocol: Accessed on 24.11.2014
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): Yes

Last State report: 30.06.2013
Last concluding observations: 21.12.2011

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Ratified on 14.05.2013
Art. 33 (Inquiry procedure): Yes

State report: Overdue since 14.06.2015
Last concluding observations: N/A

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 05.2012 (2nd cycle)
Next review: -

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Conseil National des Droits de l'Homme (CNDH) – Status A

Last review: 10.2010
Next review: 11.2015