Morocco made important strides to combat torture, Dutch official

Visiting member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) in Denmark, Inge Genefke praised what she described as Morocco's "important strides" in combating torture thanks to collaboration between the Moroccan government and the civil society.

Genefke, who was speaking at a workshop on the protocol of Istanbul on investigation and documentation concerning torture and other cruel and inhuman punishments, said Morocco's achievement is a model to be followed in the human rights realm in the region.

She added that the workshop, that brings together magistrates, lawyers, doctors and specialists, looks forward to enhancing the principles of fighting torture and other cruel punishments.

On his part, secretary general of the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, Mohamed Lididi, said Morocco has reinforced its legislation with regard to incrimination and fight of torture and cruel treatment.

He recalled the adoption of a train of measures in the 90s aiming to halt the suffering of persons that were victim of kidnapping and arbitrary detention, notably through the creation of the Commission of Equity and Reconciliation (IER), the first body in the Arab and Islamic world that is in charge of out-of-court settlement of human rights abuses.