Moroccan justice minister tells French Parliament of human rights progress
Morocco-France, Politics, 2/4/2000

Moroccan Justice Minister Omar Azziman expounded before the French national assembly's foreign committee human rights progress covered in Morocco.

In the first initiative of the kind by the French parliament's foreign committee, the minister underlined the deep changes that occurred in Morocco where important strides have been made to fight obscurantism, poverty, unemployment and exclusion.

He said that human rights are not restricted to civil and political rights and that the changes initiated by King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi are up to the legitimate ambitions of a society which is resolutely embarked on the path of democracy and modernity while preserving its identity.

He cited in this regard two major changes, namely the adoption in 1992 of a constitution that recognizes Morocco's attachment to human rights and the creation of a constitutional council.

In addition, he went on, new institutions have been set up: the human rights advisory council whose action enabled the royal pardon granted in 1994 to 424 political detainees and the creation by King Mohammed VI of a commission to compensate victims of arbitrary detention and families of missing persons. He briefed the French representatives on the working of administrative courts and other civil and trade judiciary bodies, insisting that defendants enjoy their full right to defense.

Azziman mentioned other breakthroughs such as the return of persons who spent years in exile, like Abraham Serfaty and the family of a deceased opponent, Mehdi Benbarka.

Morocco has also taken human rights awareness measures, he said, citing as an example the removal from 122 school books of all anti-human rights references. He added that these efforts have won Morocco international recognition by observers, non-governmental organizations and United Nations bodies.

Introducing the debate, the committee chairman, Jack Lang, said positive evolutions in Morocco started when the late King Hassan II decided to appoint a socialist-led coalition government, after decades of right wing rule. This evolution was followed by his successor, King Mohammed VI, he added expressing his country's admiration for the Moroccan people courage and for their rich culture and civilization.

The hearing was held at the initiative of the French-Moroccan friendship circle.

Previous Stories:
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