Articles for Morocco

Morocco: Fiancée of human rights defender mistreated, released by the intelligence services

Last November 1, Kima El Berhihi, the fiancée of a human rights defender, was arrested, tortured, and released by the Moroccan intelligence services in Larache in northern Morocco. Once released, she filed a complaint with the nearest police station despite having been threatened with a further arrest by the intelligence services officials. The police have refused to register her complaint.
Karima El Berhihi left her home at around ten in the morning on the day in question.
09 Nov 2012
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Morocco: Alkarama highlights need to follow through positive developments with legislative changes

In November 2011, the UN Committee against Torture reviewed Morocco, and requested it provide information about several urgent issues that needed to be addressed within one year.
01 Oct 2012
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Morocco: Director of Tiflet prison threatens detainees once Special Rapporteur on Torture leaves

"Your protector Mendez has gone now...," threatened the governor of Tiflet Prison... Less than a week after the end of the UN Special Rapporteur's - Juan E. Mendez - official visit to Morocco, a high ranking prison official threatened inmates at Tiflet Prison. While Mr Mendez's visit appeared to be a promising sign that Morocco is willing to cooperate with the UN, Alkarama is alarmed by these words uttered by such a high-ranking official.
Mr Juan E. Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on torture, was in Morocco from 14 to the 22 September 2012.
27 Sep 2012
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Morocco: Visit of the Special Rapporteur on Torture from 14-22 September 2012

The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on Torture, Mr. Juan E. Méndez, will visit Morocco from 14-22 September 2012. Alkarama was pleased to see Morocco invite the UN expert to visit the country, in particular to visit places of detention and to hold a dialogue with the authorities regarding these locations.
14 Sep 2012
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Morocco: Abdessamad Bettar in critical state following 80 day hunger strike

Alkarama expresses serious concern about the state of Abdessamad Bettar's health. Bettar is now hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Mohamed V hospital in Safi after enduring 80 days of hunger strike.
04 Jul 2012
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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.

14 Jun 2012
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Morocco: Sofiane Alazami has been found

On 21 May 2012, a person calling themselves an official of the psychiatric hospital of Ar-Razi in Salé called his father to inform him that his son was being held in the establishment. The same day, his father went to find him.

23 May 2012
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Morocco: Sofiane Alazami, victim of enforced disappearance

Alkarama seized the Special Procedures of the United Nations of the case of Sofiane Alazami today, who was abducted on the night of 5-6 May 2012 while he was on his way to Casablanca to look for work.
16 May 2012
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Morocco: Rachid Niny, editor of Al Massae daily, was released after serving his full sentence

Rachid Niny, editor of Al Massae, one of the most important Moroccan Arabic newspapers, left the prison of Akkacha (Casablanca) on 28 April 2012 around three in the morning, after serving his sentence of one year's imprisonment.

On 9 June 2011 he was sentenced to one year's imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 dirhams for "harming constitutional bodies and public figures."

01 May 2012
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Morocco: Mourad Aibous tortured and accused of manufacturing explosives

On 13 April 2012, Alkarama submitted the case of Moroccan citizen Mr. Mourad Aibous to the Special Procedures of the United nations. Mr. Aibous, accused of making explosives, was tortured and sentenced following an unfair trial. The case of the 21-year-old Islamic Studies student demonstrates the blindness of the policy of repression of Islamic groups. The policy reappeared in Morocco following the bombings in Casablanca in 2003. Mr.
13 Apr 2012
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