- Title: MOROCCO: Human rights activists say Morocco needs to do more to stop abuses
- Date: 15th May 2009
- Summary: RABAT, MOROCCO (MAY 11, 2009) (REUTERS) GROUP OF FORMER POLITICAL DETAINEES AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY BANNER READING: (Arabic) "THE CAPITAL OF ROSES" A BOOK BY MOHAMMED NADRANI AND ABDERRAHMAN EL KONSI TWO WOMEN TALKING, ONE HOLDING THE BOOK BUNCHES OF ROSES IN CLEAR WRAPPING THE BOOK "THE CAPITAL OF ROSES" THE TWO AUTHORS, ABDERRAHMAN EL KONSI (on left) AND MOHAMMED NADRANI (on right), SIGNING COPIES OF THE BOOK NADRANI SIGNING THE BOOK RABAT, MOROCCO (MAY 11, 2009) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHAMMED NADRANI, AUTHOR, SAYING: "No sensible human being or artist can be against roses. But at the same time, roses have thorns and this is why we should do everything possible to stop all violations and abuses of human rights." RABAT, MOROCCO (MAY 11, 2009) (REUTERS) ROOM WHERE THE BOOK WAS PRESENTED JOURNALIST AND FORMER POLITICAL DETAINEE JAWAD M'DEDICH SPEAKING TO AUDIENCE VARIOUS OF MEN AND WOMEN LISTENING FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER ABDENNACER BANOU HACHIM SPEAKING ABDELHAMID AMINE, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE MOROCCAN SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, TALKING TO MAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDELHAMID AMINE, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE MOROCCAN SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, SAYING: "The current constitution in Morocco is not a democratic one, because it protects absolute power and not a country with rights and laws. So, it's only natural that those who commit political, economic and social crimes can get away with it and not be punished."
- Embargoed: 30th May 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Morocco
- Country: Morocco
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9931KHEUC6PICX6BVE09BD930
- Story Text: A new book written by a former political prisoner, details the horrors of detention for detainees in Morocco's prisons as rights groups claim the government is not doing enough to investigate allegations of abuse.
A former political prisoner who has accused Moroccan authorities of systematic human rights abuses and torture during his detention, has released a book in the capital Rabat which has renewed debate about the human rights in the North African country.
The book, 'The Capital of Roses', written by two former detainees, Mohammed Nadrani and Abderrahman El Konsi, tells their story of spending nine years in a prison in southern Morocco without even being tried.
With three other students, they were allegedly kidnapped, tortured and detained in Agdz prison from 12 April 1976 to 31 December 1984. They were accused by the State of belonging to an underground Marxist-Leninist organisation called "Ila Al Amam" (Go Forward), and accused of plotting to overthrow the monarchy.
The name of the book 'The Capital of Roses' refers to the reply given by late King Hassan II to a French journalist who asked about the existence of a secret prison in Kalaat M'Gouna, before being told the town was only known for its yearly rose festival.
During the past few years, Morocco, unlike most other Arab countries accused of similar abuses, has significantly eased censorship on the controversial issue and allowed books by former detainees to be published despite the state's denial that such prisons that officially sanctioned the abuse, didn't exist.
Nadrani said it was necessary to speak out in the hope that it will force authorities to review current policies.
"No sensible human being or artist can be against roses. But at the same time, roses have thorns and this is why we should do everything possible to stop all violations and abuses of human rights," he said.
Since the start of the current century coincided with the enthronement of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has embarked openly on exorcising its past abuses.
An Equity and Reconciliation Instance was set up under the chairmanship of a former political detainee, the late Driss Benzekri, to study the files of all the former political detainees who were tortured, imprisoned or exiled between 1956, the year Morocco secured its' independence, and 1999, the year King Hassan II died.
More than 20,000 cases have been examined by the Equity and Reconciliation Instance. Victims or their relatives have received financial compensation while those who were still relatively able to work were reinstated into their former jobs.
However, some human rights organisations are not entirely happy with the level of change Morocco has instituted during the last decade and are asking for some radical constitutional changes.
The Moroccan Society for Human Rights (AMDH) is still asking for an official apology from the King himself to the victims of human rights abuses and also for a new constitution. Its deputy chairman, Abdelhamid Amine, who was at the book signing ceremony, said that the current constitution adopted in 1996 is not democratic and does not allow for a State that respects law and justice.
"It's only natural," he added, "that those who commit political, economic and social crimes can get away with it and not be punished."
The new era of human rights in Morocco can be easily seen through the record number of sit-ins and demonstrations that take place throughout the country every day. In the past, the mere fact of demonstrating was considered a punishable offence.
Now, anyone that considers their rights have been abused can, in most cases, stage a demonstration without incurring the wrath of the security forces.
That's the case for a group of former political detainees who have staged a sit-in opposite the headquarters of the Consultative Council for Human Rights (CCDH) since April 28 and have been observing a hunger strike since Wednesday (May 13).
They were detained in 1989 in Kenitra following a general strike in education. One of them, Mustapha Bouzari who spent two years in prison and lost his job as a teacher, said that the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Instance were not all implemented and not all the victims, such as his group, benefited from them because they were not reinstated into their former jobs.
Ahmed Herzenni, the Consultative Council for Human Rights, a former political detainee himself, is proud of what has been achieved so far but believes there is still plenty to be done.
He said that no sensible person could deny that a lot had been achieved and that what achieved so far was admirable.
"The road ahead is very long when it comes to the economic and social rights. We are aware of this and we are working towards it," he said, before stressing those with grievances are welcome to co-operate with government efforts.
In the main avenue of Rabat, thousands of university graduates are demonstrating on a daily basis to get what they consider as their right: having a job after getting a degree.
Sometimes, their action prompts the security forces to intervene in a harsh way, but most of the times; they are allowed to vent their anger and frustration in a peaceful manner. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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