The adoption of the prevention of torture as a public policy in Morocco

Abstract

This report describes the research that I conducted during a two months internship at the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies in Rabat, Morocco. I started by examining the process of democratization in Morocco while focusing on the relative openness of the regime right after the years of lead and the adoption of a set of reforms supported by a strong popular movements .In the first chapter I explain the role of the new institutions adopted in the country in preventing torture : I underlined the role of the Equity and Reconciliation commission in setting the atmosphere for a national reconciliation to a certain extent and the responsibility of the state in past human rights abuses. I also present in the same chapter an analysis of the role of the National Human Rights institution and the challenges it may face while holding the mandate of the national preventive mechanism . In the second part I go through the new constitutional safeguards to prevent torture . and the impact of the adherence of Morocco to the Optional Protocol to the convention against Torture .Finally I proceed to an overall assessment of the new draft law for the organization of Penitentiary institutions and the areas where it can contribute once adopted to the prevention of torture in Morocco. After analyzing the legislative and institutional reforms I suggest recommendations to help remedy the weaknesses and emphasize the strengths of the actual policy of the prevention of torture.