Articles for Morocco

Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, has called on Morocco to stop "targeting human rights defenders and journalists who defend human rights issues related to Western Sahara, and to allow them to work without reprisals".

The daughter of Moroccan detainee, Rachid Al-Ghribi Al-Aroussi sentenced to 20 years in prison, of which 17 years and 7 months have passed, appealed to King Mohammed VI, asking him to release her father under an exceptional pardon due to his health condition, according to a letter obtained by Alkarama.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) overturned a notice to arrest prominent German-Moroccan activist Mohamed Hajib appeals to the international body, which in turn ruled that Hajib had merely exercised his right of expression and opposition as a citizen.
The Moroccan prosecutor's office issued an international arrest warrant against Mr. Hajib for his opposition to Moroccan authorities.

Abdul Rahman Alhaj Ali was released on May 16, 2018, putting an end to three and a half years of arbitrary detention in Morocco. Alhaj Ali has been detained since October 30, 2014 at Salé prison pending extradition to Saudi Arabia.

On August 22, 2016, the UN Committee against Torture called on the Moroccan authorities to cancel the extradition and release Alhaj Ali, citing the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in Saudi Arabia.

Arrest and detention

Faced with the threat of extradition from Morocco to Egypt, Egyptian journalist Hany Khater announced his intention to go on hunger strike from March 14, 2018 to protest against his recent transfer to a high security institution.

On September 21, 2017, during the 36th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), the outcome of Morocco’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was adopted. Ahead of the UPR, Alkarama submitted a shadow report in September 2016, outlining its main concerns and recommendations regarding the human rights situation in the country.

Salaheddine Bassir, a militant and journalist, was arrested in June 2015, tortured and jailed in Laayoune following an unfair trial. The experts of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), said “he is arbitrarily detained” and called on the Moroccan authorities to release him. Today Bassir remains detained in the prison of Aït Melloul under particularly appalling conditions.

Arbitrary arrest and unfair trial

On 5 May 2017, the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established by the Human Rights Council (HRC), adopted a draft report containing the recommendations made by United Nations Member States to Morocco during the State’s review on 2 May 2017.

On 21 October 2016, Alkarama sent to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) new information about Ali Aarrass, detained since 2008 and sentenced on the sole basis of confessions obtained under torture.

On 23 September 2016, Alkarama submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRCtee) its report on the implementation of Morocco's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in view of Morocco's upcoming review on 24 October.