CNDH report on Gdeim Izik trail observation
The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) will hold a press conference to present its report on Gdeim Izik trial observation on 2 November 2017 at 9h30 at its headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.
The CNDH had entrusted team of seven senior officers to monitor the different stages of this trail where 23 defendants were prosecuted. The defendants were arrested following the death of 11 law enforcement officers at the events of dismantling the Gdeim Izik camp (a site close to Laayoune city) on 8 November 2010.
To be noted that the CNDH has already published a preliminary report on the conduct of the trial before the military court. Later on, the decisions rendered by this court were revoked and the case was brought before the Court of Appeal, following of the promulgation of a new law on military justice stipulating that the military court is no longer competent to prosecute civilians.
CNDH’s observing team monitored different hearings of the trial as of December 2016 to 19 July 2017, when the judgement was pronounced. The CNDH report aims to determine whether the case has met the conditions of a fair trial, as provided for by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Study day on the implementation of CNDH report recommendations on “Crisis in Prisons, A Shared Responsibility”
As a part of the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the report of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) on the situation of prisons in Morocco entitled “Crisis in prisons: a shared responsibility: 100 recommendations for protecting the rights of prisoners”, the CNDH organized, in partnership with the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), a study day on the implementation of the recommendation of this report. This Study day will be held on 31 October 2017 at the CNDH’s National Institute for Human Rights Training Driss Benzekri in Rabat, Morocco.
This event will provide an opportunity to assess the implementation of the recommendation of the report. Participants will discuss the following subjects:
- Moroccan prisons, five years following the report of the CNDH;
- Legislative and regulatory framework: constant and changing provisions;
- Fundamental rights of prisoners: achievements and constraints;
- Support of civil society.
Representatives of State departments concerned with these recommendations including the Prime Minister Office, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Heath, Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Culture and Communication, the Office of Public Prosecutor, etc. will participate in this event.
Mr. Driss El Yazami, CNDH’s Chairperson, and Mr. Mohamed Saleh Tamek, General delegate of the Prison Administration and Reintegration, will open of this event starting at 9 am.
To be noted that the report of the CNDH on the situation of prisons issued in October 2012, contains about 100 recommendations, addressed to various government department, legislative authority and civil society. This report analyses thoroughly the situation of prisons in Morocco in light of the legislative and regulatory framework and the daily management. This report was developed in line with a human rights approach following visits to 15 sampled prisons throughout Morocco, based on a scientific methodology. The team that visited those prisons was composed of medico-legal experts, psychologists, legal experts, sociologists, etc.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Oujda-Figuig: Regional consultative meeting with children
The Regional Human Rights Commission in Oujda- Figuig (CRDH) will organize a regional consultation with children in the East region of Morocco on Saturday 28 October 2017 at the headquarters of the CRDH in Oujda. This meeting is part of a partnership agreement between the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the UNICEF.
This consultation meeting is organized in cooperation with the Regional Academy of Education and Training, the Regional Delegates of the Entreaide national “National Mutual Aid”, the Regional Youth and Sports Delegates and the Child Protection Center in Oujda.
The purpose of this meeting is to explore and gather views and suggestions of children regarding the contribution of the CNDH to protecting the rights of the child. It aims as well to reinforce the participation of children in decisions-making that concern them.
Children from formal and informal education, students from public and private schools, foreign children, children with disabilities, children under probation system, children from the social welfare centers, etc. will participate in this consultative meeting.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
CNDH meets with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) received, on 24 October 2017 at its headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT).
During its meeting with the SPT, the CNDH delegation, chaired by Mr. Driss El Yazami, President of the Council, presented the draft law No. 76-15 on the reorganization of the CNDH. Mr El Yazami highlighted the status of the National Preventive Mechanisms against torture (NPM) in this bill. He also shed the light on the process leading to the establishment of the NPM, mainly consultations with relevant government departments and NGOs and training sessions for the future staff of the NPM, as well as national and international seminars.
At the same time, the CNDH stressed the actions and partnerships related to places of deprivation of liberty, including visits to places of detention, psychiatric hospitals, child protection centres and places where foreigners in an irregular situation are held. The number of visits to places of detention is around 300 per year, with a view to conducting investigations and regular, special or preventive visits.
Special focus was given to the CNDH memorandum on the preliminary draft of the Penal Procedure Code, particularly proposals on the prevention of torture and the reduction of the risks of arbitrary detention, mainly during police custody.
The CNDH shared its experience about practices regarding the prevention of torture, which enable it to discharge the mandate of the NPM.
To be noted that, the UN delegation is visiting Morocco, for the first time, from 22 to 28 October 2017, after the accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The purpose of this visit is to advise Morocco to establish an NPM, and to conduct visits to places of deprivation of liberty and interview persons deprived of their liberty in order to assess how they are treated and the measures taken to protect them from torture and ill-treatment.
The SPT delegation is composed of: Mr. Hans-Jörg Viktor Bannwart (Head of Delegation, Switzerland), Mr. Gnambi Garba Kodjo (Togo), Ms. Radhia Nasraoui (Tunisia), Ms. Catherine Paulet (France) and Mr. Satyabhooshun Gupt Domah (Mauritius).
Commemoration of the African Human Rights Day: Series of regional consultation meetings with young people organized by the CNDH
As a part of the commemoration of the African Human Rights Day, celebrated on 21 October each year, the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) called on all African NHRIs to celebrate this year’s day under the theme: “Reinforcing the contribution of young people to the effective implementation of the Action Plan on the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade in Africa”.
The celebration of this day will be held from 21 to 26 October 2017. Within this context, the Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH) launched a series of regional consultation meetings with young people in the thirteen Regional Human Rights Commissions (CRDHs). Those meetings aim to interact with young people on their perceptions about their future on the one hand and to allow them to freely express their opinions and expectations from the CNDH and its CRDHs.
The strategic objective of this approach is to reinforce the involvement of young people in the elaboration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of regional strategies of the CRDHs.
The purpose of these meetings is also to gather young people’s views regarding the concrete actions that guarantee them, especially the most marginalized and most vulnerable, easy access to basic services: education, training, employment and effective participation in the management of public affairs.
Child protection: Training session on the principle of participation
The National Human Rights Training Institute (INFDH) – Driss Benzekri will host the second training session on the principle of participation on 20 October 2017 for social assistants working in the Child Protection Units and the regional delegates of the Entreaide National “National Mutual Aid”. This training session is a part of the program of cooperation and partnership between the National Human Rights council (CNDH) and National Mutual Aid.
This training session will tackle the effective implementation of the principle of participation during the process of supporting children in difficult situation.
The workshop aims to strengthen the capacities of the staff of the National Mutual Aid working to protect children, particularly on themes related to treatment of children victims of violence based on child rights approach. It also intends to provide practical tools to implement the principle of participation.
This training session is the second of its kind regarding hearing techniques for children victims of violence.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Study day on the law to fight violence against women: Crossed viewpoints Morocco- Tunisia
The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and UN Women, in partnership with the Coalition Printemps de la Dignité “Spring of Dignity Coalition”, are organizing a study day on “Laws to fight violence against women: Morocco-Tunisia crossed viewpoints” on 19 October 2017 at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMVI) in Rabat, Morocco.
This meeting will be a comparative reflection between the Tunisian and Moroccan experiences related to the adoption of laws to fight violence against women.
Indeed, if the Tunisian Parliament has just adopted an integral law on the violence against women, in Morocco, the Council of Government adopted the Bill 103-13 on 17 March 2016, followed by the House of Representatives on 20 July 2016. It is a subject which is widely debated but still waiting to be adopted by the Chamber of Councillors.
Bringing together institutional actors and civil society organizations involved in the prevention of violence against women, this meeting will provide an opportunity to deepen the analysis and the reflection on the challenges of the adoption of a comprehensive national legal framework to counter all forms of violence against women.
It will also provide an opportunity to exchange experiences and points of views from both countries in order to identify the main challenges and resistances, as well as the best practices to overcome them and to achieve the adoption of satisfying legal texts.
In addition to the universal norms and standards related to legislation on violence against women, this meeting will introduce the Bill 103-13 on violence against women and the CNDH’s analysis of the mentioned Bill.
A cross-reading of the Tunisian Law and the Moroccan Bill will also be scheduled. It will be carried out through the analysis of two legal experts: Sana Ben Achour from Tunisia, university professor of public law, and Khadija Rouggany from Morocco, lawyer and member of the Coalition Printemps de la Dignité.
The opening session will take place on 19 October 2017 starting 9 am in the Auditorium of the MMVI in Rabat, Morocco.
To sum up:
Event: Study day on the law to fight violence against women: Crossed viewpoints Morocco- Tunisia
Time and venue: 19 October 2017 starting at 9 am in the Auditorium of the MMVI in Rabat, Morocco
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Download the program of the Study day (available only in French)
CRDH participates in the seventh edition of the Regional Book Fair in Tangier
The Regional Human Rights Commission (CRDH) in Tangier will participate in the seventh edition of the Regional Book Fair on “Reading and the challenges of development” which will be held from 13 to 18 October 2017 in Tangier, Morocco.
The CRDH will exhibit different publications of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH). It is also an opportunity to interact with the public and different human rights actors and researchers, particularly on the missions and achievements of the CNDH and its CRDH.
Organized by the Regional Department of Culture, this event will schedule collective exhibitions of photos, poetry, lectures and book signings will be scheduled in this Book Fair.
In addition, several cultural and educational NGOs, institutions, bookstores, book publishers will take part in this cultural event.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Study day on Combating Violence against Women in Laayoune –Smara, Morocco
The Regional Human Rights Commission of Laayoune-Smara (CRDH) organizes a study day on “Combating violence against women: implementation of the national and international commitments related to human rights and territorial coordination mechanisms”. This event will take place on Friday 20 October 2017 starting at 8 am at the Emilio Moretti Hotel in Laayoune, Morocco.
Different specialized NGOs, institutional actors and participatory democratic mechanisms at the local and regional level will participate to this event.
The study day aims to strengthen the capacity of local actors in order to protect women’s rights and develop relevant social reception structures. It also intends to coordinate and simplify the administrative and judicial procedures among stakeholders.
This event will tackle the national and international legal framework to counter violence against women, the role of the National Human Rights Institutions in combating gender discrimination, and the role of local actors in protecting women’s rights. During this study day, participants will develop a participatory diagnosis of the situation of women victims of violence in the Laayoune –Smara region, Morocco.
Media contact: Abdelghani Berdi +2126 62 76 23 25 / a.berdi@cndh.org.ma
Saadia Belmir is re-elected member of UN Committee Against Torture
Moroccan magistrate, member of the National Human Rights Council and former member of the Advisory Council on Human Rights, Saadia Belmir is re-elected as a member of the UN Committee Against Torture. The vote was held on Thursday in Geneva at the 16th meeting of State Parties to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Moroccan Jurist has been a member of the UN body since her first election in November 2005, and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013;
Ms. Belmir is a member of the Constitutional Court (and the former Constitutional Council).