Human Rights
in Morocco
Morocco has a tainted human rights record. According to the standards outlined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there have been several rights violated in recent years. Some periods of time have been marked by a notable respect for the rights of Moroccans, and others have not. Although the Moroccan record of human rights fares comparably well by regional standards- there have been severe human rights violations in the last several years, and an observable deterioration of the overall recognition of human rights in the last several years.
Several human rights outlined in the articles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights were violated. The most notable human rights violations are outlined below.
Article 19.
The right of Moroccans to free speech is restricted. One example of this is the fact that it is illegal to question the Moroccan Kingdom's territorial integrity (despite the ongoing border dispute in the Western Sahara). Further restrictions to the right of free speech include regulations prohibiting criticism of the Moroccan monarchy.
The restriction of free speech is illustrated in Morocco's incarceration of journalists. In 2007, the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists ranked Morocco and Tunisia as the two countries in the Arab world sentencing the most journalists to prison sentences. Reporters Without Borders ranked Morocco as 127 out of 175 on its Press Freedom Index in 2009.
Article 20.
The rights of assembly, association and expression have been violated in Morocco. Since the regional uprisings of February 2011, there have been several demonstrations in the name of political reforms. Most of these have been tolerated by authorities. However there have been occasions where protestors have been beaten and seriously injured. Several protestors have served and are currently serving prison sentences for their alleged roles in protests that resulted in rock-throwing, assaults on police officers and destruction of property. Although the arrests were court ordered, several defendants have claimed that their confessions were beaten out of them. The reputability of these claims are disputed.
Although the reformed constitution of 2011 protects the right to create an association, this right has been compromised on several occasions. Arbitrarily, the government has impeded the legalization of several associations. This has even happened in several cases where associates won court rulings stating that they had been wrongfully denied recognition and legalization of their association. Those most affected include groups concerned with the rights of the Amazighe, Sub-Saharan migrants, the unemployed as well as religious and charitable organizations that have questioned the spiritual authority of the monarchy.
Article 5.
Article 9.
The right to freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention has been compromised. Similarly, the right to be free of torture or of cruel and inhumane treatment has been violated. Following the Casablanca terrorist attacks of 2003, hundreds of people were arrested as suspected Islamist extremists. Hundreds of these people remain in prison today. Many were arrested after unfair trials and were tortured in secret detention centers prior to their confessions, and subsequent arrest.
Many people have been placed in pretrial custody for extended periods, some for as long as two years.
Article 23.
Article 24.
One such marriage, gained particular notoriety after the 16 year-old victim (Amina Filali) of a rape and subsequent forced marriage took her own life after one year with her abusive husband. In some more conservative areas, a girl who has been raped is considered no longer suitable for marriage because she is no longer a virgin. By marrying her rapist, the shame she has brought to her family can be alleviated. However such a marriage, especially when it involves a minor, directly undermines the UN declared right for both parties to enter a marriage of their own free will and without coercion.
Amazighe people have been deprived of their human rights, and they have also suffered the forced suppression and attempted annihilation of their culture. Most notably, this has occurred through preventing parents of Amazighe babies from being permitted to give their children Amazighe names. These parents have been forced to give their children Arabic names in order to be permitted legal registration for their children.
Morocco has a tainted human rights record. According to the standards outlined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there have been several rights violated in recent years. Some periods of time have been marked by a notable respect for the rights of Moroccans, and others have not. Although the Moroccan record of human rights fares comparably well by regional standards- there have been severe human rights violations in the last several years, and an observable deterioration of the overall recognition of human rights in the last several years.
Several human rights outlined in the articles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights were violated. The most notable human rights violations are outlined below.
Article 19.
- Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
The right of Moroccans to free speech is restricted. One example of this is the fact that it is illegal to question the Moroccan Kingdom's territorial integrity (despite the ongoing border dispute in the Western Sahara). Further restrictions to the right of free speech include regulations prohibiting criticism of the Moroccan monarchy.
The restriction of free speech is illustrated in Morocco's incarceration of journalists. In 2007, the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists ranked Morocco and Tunisia as the two countries in the Arab world sentencing the most journalists to prison sentences. Reporters Without Borders ranked Morocco as 127 out of 175 on its Press Freedom Index in 2009.
Article 20.
- (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
The rights of assembly, association and expression have been violated in Morocco. Since the regional uprisings of February 2011, there have been several demonstrations in the name of political reforms. Most of these have been tolerated by authorities. However there have been occasions where protestors have been beaten and seriously injured. Several protestors have served and are currently serving prison sentences for their alleged roles in protests that resulted in rock-throwing, assaults on police officers and destruction of property. Although the arrests were court ordered, several defendants have claimed that their confessions were beaten out of them. The reputability of these claims are disputed.
Although the reformed constitution of 2011 protects the right to create an association, this right has been compromised on several occasions. Arbitrarily, the government has impeded the legalization of several associations. This has even happened in several cases where associates won court rulings stating that they had been wrongfully denied recognition and legalization of their association. Those most affected include groups concerned with the rights of the Amazighe, Sub-Saharan migrants, the unemployed as well as religious and charitable organizations that have questioned the spiritual authority of the monarchy.
Article 5.
- No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 9.
- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
The right to freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention has been compromised. Similarly, the right to be free of torture or of cruel and inhumane treatment has been violated. Following the Casablanca terrorist attacks of 2003, hundreds of people were arrested as suspected Islamist extremists. Hundreds of these people remain in prison today. Many were arrested after unfair trials and were tortured in secret detention centers prior to their confessions, and subsequent arrest.
Many people have been placed in pretrial custody for extended periods, some for as long as two years.
Article 23.
- (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
- (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
- (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
- (4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
- Everyone has the right to
rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and
periodic holidays with
pay.
Children are legally prohibited from working under the age of fifteen. However, there are thousands of domestic workers in Morocco (mostly female) under the age of fifteen. According to NGOs, the UN and other sources, many of these children are as young as 8 years old and work up to 12 hours a day for as little as 11 American dollars a month. Such children are often deprived of an education, as well as sufficient nutrition and living arrangements. Many of these children are regularly beaten, sometimes severely. One woman was recently sentenced to a ten year prison sentence for beating a 10 year old female domestic worker, which resulted in the child's death.
The Moroccan laws including provisions for a minimum wage, limits to work hours, and necessitating a weekly rest day exclude domestic workers from their jurisdiction. This means that the thousands of domestic workers in Morocco can be exploited without sufficient access to justice.
Article 16. - (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
- (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
- (3) The family is the
natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to
protection by society and the State.
In 2004 there were changes made to Moroccan laws concerning marriage. The minimum age of marriage was raised from fifteen to eighteen. Despite this law, there are still many girls who are married under the legal age. Husbands still maintain the right to unilaterally divorce their wives, while wives do not enjoy the same privilege. The family law constitution still contains regulations that discriminate against women regarding inheritance.
One such marriage, gained particular notoriety after the 16 year-old victim (Amina Filali) of a rape and subsequent forced marriage took her own life after one year with her abusive husband. In some more conservative areas, a girl who has been raped is considered no longer suitable for marriage because she is no longer a virgin. By marrying her rapist, the shame she has brought to her family can be alleviated. However such a marriage, especially when it involves a minor, directly undermines the UN declared right for both parties to enter a marriage of their own free will and without coercion.
Amazighe people have been deprived of their human rights, and they have also suffered the forced suppression and attempted annihilation of their culture. Most notably, this has occurred through preventing parents of Amazighe babies from being permitted to give their children Amazighe names. These parents have been forced to give their children Arabic names in order to be permitted legal registration for their children.
