Morocco submits to UN committee periodical human rights report
Morocco, Politics, 10/26/2004

Morocco presented this Monday to the United Nations human rights committee its 5th periodical reports dealing with its enforcement of the international pact of civil and human rights.

Presenting the report, Morocco's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Omar Hilale, stressed how King Mohammed VI has been endeavoring, since he acceded to the throne in July 1999, to build a democratic and modern society, while deepening human rights culture, fostering the proximity and participation policy, reinforcing the role of women and consolidating social solidarity.

He went on that the sovereign has started a program to reform administration and justice, as two pillar sectors of the rule of law consolidation process. In parallel, the government is intensifying efforts at the normative and institutional levels for the promotion, protection and defense of human rights, the diplomat said, citing particularly efforts to close once and for all the issue of past human rights abuses.

In this context, he went on citing a series of reforms of the legislation related to the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights were enacted, in addition to a major reform of the family code that was unanimously adopted by the parliament.

The new family code comes to consolidate family coherence, end the injustice against women while preserving the interests of children and safeguarding the dignity of men, he explained.

Meanwhile, stressed the Moroccan diplomat, the law of civil liberties was considerably amended with some provisions stipulating imprisonment being abrogated, transparency guaranteed and the judiciary system control over the legality of administrative decisions secured.

Hilale cited other improvements such as the creation of an ombudsman, the re-organization of the human rights consultative council (CCDH) which had its prerogatives expanded and independence reinforced. The CCDH, he stressed, presented for the first time a report which documents progress in human rights as well as cases of abuses reported in the anti-terrorism struggle and other violations reported by human rights activists.

The ombudsman, called in Morocco "Diwan Al Madhalim," is not only serving as an office for complaints, but is also designed to be a source of proposals on reforms of legislation, justice and administration.

Another task assigned to the "Diwan Al Madhalim" is to work with the CCDH to press for the release of Moroccans detained by the Polisario separatists in the Tindouf camps (southwestern Algeria), in total violation of the germane provisions of the international pact of civil and political rights, and endeavor to uphold the rights of Moroccan nationals living abroad.

In addition to these institutions, two other major organizations were set up to compensate victims of past human rights violations like forced disappearance and arbitrary detention.

The Moroccan diplomat further recalled that, following the dastardly terrorist attacks that shook Casablanca on May 16 2003, the government proposed an anti-terrorism law which reflects Morocco's adherence to human rights and basic freedoms, insisting that Moroccan authorities remains resolved to carry on and intensify efforts in order to perfect the building a democratic and modern society.

Previous Stories:
  Human Rights Watch notes impressive strides in rights and backsliding   (10/22/2004)
  AIHR Chief praises Moroccanexperience in human rights violation Settlement   (10/16/2004)
  Morocco holds Algeria responsible for blocking search for a political solution to Sahara dispute   (10/11/2004)

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