US government report on Morocco's human rights

The US Department Of State released the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2005, by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. As relating to Morocco, the report card was positive, with only certain areas pointed out as needing improvement. In some cases the Moroccan government had already moved to make changes prior to the release of the report; for example in media freedom and in the laws relating to torture. Here is a short version of what the report said:


Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament and a population of approximately 30 million. Ultimate authority rests with King Mohammed VI, who presides over the Council of Ministers, appoints or approves members of the government, and may, at his discretion, terminate the tenure of any minister, dissolve the parliament, call for new elections, and rule by decree. In the bicameral legislature, the lower house may dissolve the government through a vote of no confidence. The 2002 parliamentary elections for the lower house were widely regarded as free, fair, and transparent. The 2003 elections for local government councils were recognized as well-administered. In the latter elections, the government limited the participation of the Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD), one of the 27 political parties in the country. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.

There was progress in the implementation of the Moudawana (Family Status Code); the work of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER); and the suppression of sex tourism during the year; nevertheless, the human rights record remained poor in many areas. Human rights organizations and the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), an organization seeking independence for the western Sahara, accused the government of excessive force in Laayoune and Dakhla (Western Sahara) against demonstrators in May and in the fall and criticized the subsequent trials and harsh sentences given demonstrators. Human rights activists in the Western Sahara reported to Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) that they were tortured. Monthly demonstrations by unemployed university graduates in front of the parliament were disrupted by consistently excessive security force intervention.

The following human rights problems were reported:
• inability of citizens to change fully their government
• excessive police force resulting in deaths of demonstrators and migrants
• unresolved cases of disappearance
• allegations of torture
• poor prison conditions
• arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention
• police and security force impunity
• lack of judicial independence
• occasional warrantless searches
• restrictions on freedoms of speech and press
• some restrictions on religious freedom
• corruption and lack of transparency
• societal discrimination affecting women
• trafficking in persons
• child labor

Poverty Declines.

In another report, the poverty rate declined 2.3 per cent over the last decade in Morocco. Around 4.2 million Moroccans -- or 14.2 per cent of the population -- were poor in 2004, according to a report called "Poverty, Human Development and Social Development in Morocco" submitted last week by High Commissioner for Planning Ahmed Lahlimi. The report was aimed at giving a statistic and cartographic representation of the social condition in all rural and urban areas of the country and defines the needs of each region in terms of infrastructure, social and economic development. Lahlimi said that despite the 2.3 per cent decrease in poverty compared to 1994, the phenomenon still raises concern in rural areas.

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