15 June 2012

Morocco: Mohamed Hajib arbitrarily detained, subjected to torture and mistreatment in prison

M. Mohamed Hajib, a 31 year-old German-Morrocan man, is detained at Morocco's Salé prison where the torture and mistreatment to which he has been subjected is continually escalating.

Hajib was arrested 17 February 2010 at Casablanca airport, after having been detained in Pakistan for six months. On 24 June 2010, following a rushed trial, he was sentenced to ten years in prison under the accusation of "creating a criminal group" and "financing terrorism". After appeal, his sentence was reduced to five years on January 9, 2012.

Detained in Salé prison, Hajib undertook a hunger strike in May of 2011 in order to denounce the unjust character of his trial and the inhumane conditions in the detention center. Following this hunger strike, Hajib was transferred to the Toulal prison and was kept there for 15 days without his family having any knowledge of his transfer. While there he was severely tortured, including being beaten, forced into painful positions for long periods of time, and threatened with rape.

Fifteen days after his return to Salé prison, as a result of the psychological trauma he had being subjected to, he attempted to commit suicide and was urgently evacuated to the hospital.

On May 30th, Hajib's mother was allowed to visit him at Salé prison. After a long wait and a humiliating search, she was finally authorized to see her son.

Upon first seeing her, Hajib broke into a state of hysteria as a result of the psychological violence to which he had been subjected. Once he had calmed down, he was able to tell his mother of the torture and violence that he had suffered on the night of May 28th.

His mother also learned from the German Consul, who had come to visit Hajib the same day, that they had not been authorized to see Hajib nor able to take note of his physical and mental health.

The family of the victim has expressed serious concerns about Hajib's fate.

Today, Alkarama has submitted Hajib's situation with the United Nations Special Procedures, asking them to urgently intervene with the Moroccan authorities to ensure that all torture or other inhumane and degrading treatment towards Hajib ceases and to guarantee the integrity of his physical and mental health.

Alkarama also asks the Moroccan authorities to pursue those responsible for these acts of torture and to reexamine Hajib's case, ensuring him a fair trial.

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