Articles for Morocco

Morocco: Abdelfattah Dihaj sentenced on the basis of confessions extracted under torture

Today, Alkarama submitted the case of a Moroccan citizen, Abdelfattah Dihaj, to the Special Procedures of the United Nations. Mr. Abdelfattah Dihaj was tortured and sentenced following an unfair trial in relation to the attack of 28 April 2011 on Argana Café in Marrakech.

Abdelfattah Dihaj, 40-years-old, was arrested for the attack on the Argana Café. He was accused of not having speaking out against those involved in the attack on 28 April 2011.

09 Apr 2012
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Morocco: Mohammad Hasan al-Sharif al-Kattani released

Alkarama was informed on Saturday 4 February 2012 of the release by the Moroccan authorities of Mohamed Hasan al-Kattani, Omar al-Haddouchi, and Mohammad Abdul Wahab al-Rafiki.

07 Feb 2012
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Morocco: the UN appeals for the release of Sheikh Mohamed Hassan Echerif El-Kettani, arbitrarily detained for eight years

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the UN convened in Geneva and notified the international community of its decision concerning the detention of Mr. Mohamed Hassan Echerif El-Kettani. They issued an opinion that his detention is arbitrary and called upon the Moroccan authorities to release him immediately and pardon him.

An eminent religious personality in Morocco, Mr. El-Kettani was arrested by the police in Salé on 6 February 2003 on false charges and was immediately released by the royal prosecutor.

24 Nov 2011
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Morocco: Kingdom of Morocco examined by the experts of the Committee against Torture

On 1 and 2 November, the experts of the Committee against Torture examined the national report of Morocco at the Palais Wilson in Geneva. Present at the review was a Moroccan delegation headed by M. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kindom of Morocco at the UN, as well as representatives of Moroccan civil society and Alkarama.
See the videos of the sessions of the review below:

See the videos on the links below

04 Nov 2011
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Morocco: Alkarama presents its alternative report to the Committee against Torture

Alkarama submitted its alternative report to the Committee against Torture in preparation of the review of the Kingdom of Morocco by this UN body on 1 and 2 November. The report, called 'Morocco Faces New Challenges' was prepared in cooperation with our Moroccan civil society partners, notably the Mountada (Forum) Alkarama, based in Casablanca.

Alkarama will meet with the experts of the Committee on 31 October, just before the official review, to brief them on our key concerns.

26 Oct 2011
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Morocco: Opportunity for Civil Society to Hold Authorities to Account for Torture

Morocco will be reviewed by the Committee against Torture (also known as CAT) in early November 2011. This is an opportunity for civil society to raise any issues they may have with the Moroccan authorities regarding torture, as the United Nations human rights body will examine the situation of torture in the country closely.

02 Sep 2011
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Morocco : German-Moroccan citizen arbitrarily detained and accused of terrorism

Arrested for the first time in July 2009 as he was travelling to Pakistan with Tablighi Jamaat, a religious organization for which he volunteered, Mr Mohammed Hajib was again arrested in Morocco last year and remains detained in inhumane conditions to date.
25 Jul 2011
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Morocco: Release of Mr. Karim Khadir

Mr. Karim Khader, who has dual British-Moroccan citizenship and lives in London, was arrested 24 June 2011 after arriving at Tanger port. He was freed 30 June 2011.

Recollection of the facts:

Mr. Karim Khader (كريم خادر) is 30 years old and of dual British-Moroccan citizenship; he is an air-conditioning engineer and normally lives in London in the United Kingdom. He was arrested 24 June 2011 at 5:30 am at the port of Tanger where he was disembarking from a ship with his father-in-law.

01 Jul 2011
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Morocco: Journalist Rachid Niny sentenced to one year in prison

Mr. Rachid Niny, editor in chief of one of the largest daily Moroccan Arabic newspapers called "Al Massae," was brought 28 April 2011 to the headquarters of the national judicial police brigade in Casablanca and placed in custody.
24 Jun 2011
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Morocco: Mrs. Doha Aboutabit physically abused at Salé prison

Mrs. Doha Aboutabit, arrested 3 December 2009, is detained at Salé prison. During the revolt of 16 May 2011 at the prison, the security forces used firearms which wounded many prisoners. Though spared from these events, the women's section was nonetheless taken over by the agents. Mrs. Aboutabit was physically abused to the point of fearing that she had broken bones. The prison administration refused to have her examined.

On 19 May 2011 Alkarama urgently asked the Special Rapporteur on Torture to enjoin the Moroccan authorities to stop the persecutions to which Mrs.

23 May 2011
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