MDE 29/004/2014 Under embargo until May 13th STOP TORTURE Country profile: Morocco / Western Sahara Torture in Morocco and Western Sahara: In summary The rule of King Hassan II from 1956 to 1999 trial as the of lead” was “years characterized by repression of political dissent, the enforced disappearance of hundreds of individuals, arbitrary detention of thousands of others, and the systemic use of torture and other ill-treatment. Though the human rights situation has improved significantly since the accession to the throne of King Mohamed VI, Amnesty International continues to receive reports of torture and other treatment by police or gendarmerie during interrogation in pre-arraignment detention (garde à vue) , and, in fewer cases, in prisons and while detained incommunicado in secret detention centres. Torture and trial ill-treatment have now been explicitly prohibited and identified as a crime in Moroccan law for several years, but they continue in practice. On the one hand, perpetrators of torture or other ill-treatment have continued to enjoy virtual total impunity. Judges and prosecutors rarely investigate reports of torture and other ill-treatment, meaning few perpetrators are held accountable. The resulting climate of impunity cancels out the dissuasive power of Morocco’s legislation. Shortcomings of the justice system, such as the absence of lawyers during police interrogation, continue to create conditions conducive to torture and Torture-tainted included in police interrogation reports “confessions” are still central to securing convictions, at the expense of material evidence and witnesses testifying in court. Current plans to overhaul Morocco’s justice system present an unprecedented opportunity for change. Amnesty International calls on the Moroccan authorities to: 1. Provide safeguards during detention including swift access to lawyers after arrest, the presence of lawyers during interrogations and the video-recording of interrogations; 2. End secret detention by establishing a centralised register of detainees accessible by their lawyers and families at all times upon request and without delay; 3. End the culture impunity by ensuring all reports of torture and other treatment are promptly, impartially, and independently investigated and that,
MDE 29/004/2014 Under embargo until May 13th STOP TORTURE Country profile: Morocco / Western Sahara Torture in Morocco and Western Sahara: In summary The rule of King Hassan II from 1956 to 1999 as the “years of lead” was characterized by repression of political dissent, the enforced disappearance of hundreds of individuals, arbitrary detention of thousands of others, and the systemic use of torture and other ill-treatment. Though the human rights situation has improved significantly since the accession to the throne of King Mohamed VI, Amnesty International continues to receive reports of torture and other by police or gendarmerie during interrogation in pre-arraignment detention (garde à vue) , and, in fewer cases, in prisons and while detained incommunicado in secret detention centres. Torture and ill-treatment have now been explicitly prohibited and identified as a crime in Moroccan law for several years, but they continue in practice. On the one hand, perpetrators of torture or other ill-treatment have continued to enjoy virtual total impunity. Judges and prosecutors rarely investigate reports of torture and other ill-treatment, meaning few perpetrators are held accountable. The resulting climate of impunity cancels out the dissuasive power of Morocco’s legislation. Shortcomings of the justice system, such as the absence of lawyers during police interrogation, continue to create conditions conducive to torture and Torture-tainted “confessions” included in police interrogation reports are still central to securing convictions, at the expense of material evidence and witnesses testifying in court. Current plans to overhaul Morocco’s justice system present an unprecedented opportunity for change. Amnesty International calls on the Moroccan authorities to: 1. Provide safeguards during detention including swift access to lawyers after arrest, the presence of lawyers during interrogations and the video-recording of interrogations; 2. End secret detention by establishing a centralised register of detainees accessible by their lawyers and families at all times upon request and without delay; 3. End the culture impunity by ensuring all reports of torture and other are promptly, impartially, and independently investigated and that, trial treatment trial treatment
morocco_ws_torture_country_brief_-_final_0_2.docx