Morocco - Latest Press Releases

Morocco: Ratification of Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture

MOR - News | 24 December 2014

On 24 November 2014, on the eve of the second Global Human Rights Forum held in Marrakech between 27 and 30 November 2014, Morocco ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), giving hope to see the country on the road to a genuine implementation of the fundamental rights of persons deprived of liberty. Becoming the 76th State - the fourth in the Arab world after Tunisia, Mauritania and Lebanon - to accede to this important instrument of international law, Morocco will have to establish a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against torture. Should the Moroccan National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), wish to hold this role, it will have to comply fully with the Paris Principles.

Morocco: Al Shatbi Brothers Arbitrary Detained Since 2002

MOR - News | 14 November 2014

On 30 October 2014, Alkarama sent a communication to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) regarding the case of two brothers, Mohammed and Kamal Al Shatbi, arbitrarily deprived of their freedom since their respective arrests without warrant on 25 and 27 September 2002.

Morocco: Alkarama Calls on Authorities not to extradite Sayed Omar to Egypt

MOR - News | 21 August 2014

Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the Committee against Torture on 11 August 2014, asking the Committee to take interim measures to ensure that Morocco temporarily blocks the extradition process of Egyptian citizen, Sayed Omar Salem Omar, a senior member of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, whose members have been subject to a bloody crackdown by the Egyptian authorities for over a year.

Morocco: URGENT APPEAL - Arbitrary detention of Sahrawi channel Rasd TV journalist

MOR - News | 29 July 2014

On 17 July 2014, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression to call on the Moroccan authorities to cease all acts of judicial and administrative harassment against Mahmoud El Haissan immediately. Saharawi channel Rasd TV journalist, El Haissan was arrested on 4 July and arbitrarily detained in the local prison of Al Akhal in El Aaiun.

Morocco: Human Rights Activist Abused in Custody at Fes Police Station

MOR - News | 26 June 2013
Abdelkader_Haloui
29-year old human rights activist, Abdelkader Haloui was arrested on 28 May 2013 at around 2am by police officers following an altercation with a guard at Zlat Hotel, in Fes. Charged with assault and battery, this member of the /Centre marocain des Droits Humains (CMDH/- Moroccan Center for Human Rights)is currently detained at Fes Prison, Ain Kadous.

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