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General comments made by other relevant stakeholders
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- 4. Views expressed by the State under review on the outcome and concluding remarks
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3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders298. The Consultative Council on Human Rights of Morocco recalled that as a national institution, it was responsible for the operationalization of human rights in cooperation with the Government. These efforts have been translated into offering redress to victims of human rights violations. Various judicial decisions that have been implemented provided redress to victims in 95 per cent of the cases addressed. Regarding health insurance, cooperation between the Government and the Consultative Council had allowed health coverage to be provided for the majority of those victims. Regarding collective rights, various decisions had been taken at the local level before programmes were implemented. Regarding the Equity and Reconciliation Commission, it affirmed that 44 cases out of 66 had been dealt with, and investigations were in progress to settle the remaining ones. It further explained that it was also working to implement the recommendations which have been adopted by the Committee for Legal Redress, including with regard to capital punishment, and establishing a national strategy to combat impunity. 299. The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies stated that the cooperation between the Government and civil society in the preparation of the universal periodic review should be institutionalized in order to be fruitful and productive. It could not be challenged that Morocco has made tangible progress in promoting and protecting human rights. Important legislative reform has taken place to harmonize domestic legislation with international treaties. Nevertheless, human rights violations were regularly recorded by the Cairo Institute and other organizations, and it invited the Government to implement the recommendations contained in the report of the Working Group. 300. Interfaith International commended the Government of Morocco on its commitment to promote and protect human rights and steps including, inter alia, the 1999 revision of the Constitution, the public liberty legislation, the law on prisons, the revision of the criminal procedure code, the labour law, the 1999 Independent Commission for the compensation of victims of forced disappearances and arbitrary detention, the adoption in 2004 of a new family code and the creation of a commission on truth, justice and reconciliation, and the launching of a national plan of action for economic, social and cultural rights. It affirmed that Morocco had developed strategies that placed the human being at the centre of development. 301. The Arab Commission for Human Rights mentioned that, since the attacks of 2003 in Casablanca, thousands of persons were arbitrarily detained, tortured and imprisoned after unfair trials in the name of the fight against terrorism. It stated that efforts undertaken to combat terrorism included some measures that led to violations of international conventions ratified by Morocco. It said that torture, which was tending to disappear in the beginning of the 2000s, was unfortunately back and practised in a certain number of detention centres under the oversight of the direction of the territory and law enforcement. 302. The Union de l’action féminine encouraged Morocco to continue its efforts to implement the recommendations made during the review. It believed that the Government should lift its reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Optional Protocol thereto. It urged Morocco to create a higher council for women to guarantee these and believes that Morocco should establish and institutionalize a consultative committee that would bring together all stakeholders on an equal level. The Council was urged to adopt the outcome of the review to help assist Morocco in meeting those goals. 303. The International Federation of Business and Professional Women noted that Morocco deployed many efforts in the field of human rights, including the rights of women, and should be cited as an example and a model. It welcomed the new Family Code and stated that some of the Moroccan experiences should be referred to as best practices, especially in the field of reconciliation and the overhauling of the Family Code, which is the framework of enhancing women’s rights and gender equality. Morocco has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child to promote and protect children’s rights and measures have been undertaken, including in the fields of civic and human rights education and child participation. It stated that there was still a long path ahead and Morocco was encouraged to continue its efforts. 304. Amnesty International welcomed the recommendations made by several States, including on continuing to implement the recommendations of the Instance Equité et Réconciliation, to ensure respect for the rights of migrants, to harmonize domestic law with international standards, and to ratify international human rights treaties. Amnesty International identified as a key human rights concern the apparent lack of accountability of the security forces for their alleged abuses, including torture and excessive use of force in the case of a person suspected of terrorist offences, of Sahrawi persons advocating against Moroccan rule in Western Sahara, and for the killings or arrest and detention of migrants attempting to reach European shores. There were also concerns about the freedom of the press and journalists. The fact that the death penalty has not yet been abolished and the Rome Statute not yet ratified as recommended by the Instance Equité et Réconciliation put into question the political will of the authorities to implement these reforms. Amnesty International urged the Government to take swift action on these issues.
4. Views expressed by the State under review on the
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