Political parties and human rights activists welcome king's pardon to 33 convicts, including journalists
Morocco, Politics, 1/8/2004

The pardon granted by Moroccan king Mohammed VI to a group of 33 convicts among whom seven journalists, including Ali Lamrabet, was widely welcomed by political parties, human rights activists and relatives of the concerned people.

The king's decision announced, Wednesday, "is likely to consolidate the climate of political detente our country has witnessed for several years now.," said Mohamed El Yazghi, leader of the Socialist Party of Popular Forces ( a party member of the coalition in the government), and also minister of land development, water and environment.

This gesture, he went on, proves that the Kingdom is moving forward toward the consolidation of the rule of law and the creation of an atmosphere of trust and freedom.

The USFP leader, whose party was in the opposition for more than three decades, said the King's initiative reflects his "commitment to democratic values" as well as his "firm resolve to usher Morocco on the path of great reforms (É)."

Echoing him, Younes Moujahid, Secretary general of the National Union of the Moroccan Press (SNPM), said the "the royal pardon is a positive step paving the way for the future and also the expression of a tangible openness."

The SNPM leader whose Union has been claiming the release of all the detained journalists, said that the King's decision "meets the expectations" of his and other human rights organizations.

Moujahid described the royal initiative as a "clear signal" of the willingness to overcome what he termed "a regrettable event," in reference to the prosecution and detention of journalists.

He voiced hope that their release will be "the prelude to the revision of the texts ruling the media sector in the perspective of suppressing all provisions against the press freedom contained in the Press Code."

"It was for us a huge surprise for, we were so worried by his health condition that we didn't even think about the issue of his liberation," said, on her part, Nadia Lamrabet, sister of journalist Ali Lamrabet who was staging a hunger strike to protest against his detention conditions.

She expressed her "profound gratitude" to the King for the release of her brother who was serving a three-year prison sentence for "offence to the king" and "undermining the country's sacred institutions."

The royal gesture was also welcomed by the chairman of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH), Abdelhamid Amine, who described it as a "positive and important step," as well as by the chairman of the NGO "Forum Verite et Justice" (truth and Justice Forum) Mohamed Sebbar who recalled he had sent a letter to the Justice Minister and to several parliamentary groups asking for the release of all journalists and human rights activists jailed for political reasons.

Abdellah Al Oualladi, chairman of the Moroccan organization of Human Rights (OMDH), wished that the newly set-up "equity and reconciliation" Commission will carry out its mission in the "search of truth without any restriction and in total independence."

The announcement of the pardon granted by the king to these 33 convicted for various crimes and offences, was made by the official spokesman of the royal palace, Hassan Aourid who said the monarch took the decision "for humanitarian reasons."

The measure was announced as the sovereign inaugurated the 16-member "Justice and Reconciliation Commission," a body set up last November to pursue out-of-court settlement of past human rights abuses, in a bid to settle once and for all the issue that the sovereign called "thorny."

Previous Stories:
  Two jailed Moroccan journalists, in good health, says minister   (12/26/2003)
  King Mohammed approves members of equity and reconciliation commission   (12/16/2003)
  Hunger strike by imprisoned journalist nothing to do with detention conditions, official   (12/8/2003)

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