Morocco: Abdessamad Bettar in critical state following 80 day hunger strike

Arrested on 5 May 2011 in front of his store in Safi (southern Morocco) by four policemen from the DST on the accusation of having hit someone with his motorbike, Bettar was driven with his eyes blindfolded to the Maarif police station in Casablanca and was detained in secret for 12 days. During this detention, he was subjected to serious torture before being forced to sign a document without being allowed to read it.

On 17 May 2012, Bettar was bought before the public prosecutor of Rabat on accusations of having participated in the 28 April 2011 Marrakech bombings. He was charged that same day by the investigating magistrate of Salé court.

At the time, Abdessamad Bettar in was in a deplorable state and as of his first appearance before the judge, he denied that there was any truth behind the charges brought against him. He informed the investigating magistrate of the torture he had been subjected to and of the fact that he was forced to sign a statement without having read it, but the judge paid no attention to his declarations.

Although no proof nor material evidence has been presented to substantiate the accusations brought against him, he has been charged and placed in provisional detention at the Toulal 2 prison in Mèknes.

Detained in isolation for months, he again suffered inhumane and degrading treatment during his detention. Notably, he was stripped of all clothing, insulted, and beaten many times by the guards.

The court sentenced him to four years imprisonment on 28 October 2011 following a particularly rushed trial, under the false accusations of "creating a criminal organization with the intention of preparing terrorist acts aiming to undermine public order"; "failing to inform of a terrorist crime"; "holding public meetings without prior authorizations" and "carrying out activities in an unauthorized association".

These accusations were not substantiated by any proof nor material evidence and none of the allegedly numerous witnesses listed in the police statement were called to appear before the court by the prosecution.

As in the vast majority of "terrorism" cases brought before the Moroccan judiciary since the 2003 Casablanca terrorist attempts, the judges pronounced this sentence based on a statement prepared by the police and signed by the defendant under pressure of serious torture.

After his conviction, Mr. Bettar appealed the sentence and began a hunger strike in order to protest the unfair nature of his trial.

On the day of the sentence regarding his appeal, on 9 March 2012, and despite the fact that the prosecution did not present any new elements, his sentence was increased from 4 to 10 years in prison. Again, none of the basic rules for a fair trial were respected.

Bettar thereafter started an unlimited hunger strike on 9 April 2012 in order to profess his innocence, protest the unfair nature of his trial and the torture he endured in detention.

His state of health has deteriorated to the point where he had to be urgently transferred to the Ibn Sina hospital in Rabat on 17 June where he was hospitalized for ten days.

On 27 June 2012, Abdessamad Bettar received the visit of representatives of the penitentiary authorities, members of the organization Mountada El Karama (Forum for Dignity in Human Rights), and the Moroccan Forum for Human Rights, following which he decided to suspend the hunger strike on the condition that he would be guaranteed all of his rights as a detainee.

At this meeting it was also agreed that there should be an investigation into the torture he endured, until his case can be reexamined and he can be given a fair trial.

On 29 June 2012, when he believed he was being transferred from the Ibn Sina hospital to Rabat, he realized that the prison administration had decided to transfer him to Safi Prison, more than 300 km from Salé, without informing him and despite the fact that his state of health would prevent him from traveling.

He therefore restarted the hunger strike, suspended only a few days before, and refused to even drink water. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the Mohammed V hospital in Safi.