Human rights violations are now ‘a thing of the past’ in Morocco

During the assessment of Morocco’s first report on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances In Geneva, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced that the chapter of human rights violations in Morocco is now closed. He attributed this achievement to Morocco’s transitional justice process, which has made such violations “a thing of the past.”

In his opening speech at the interactive dialogue with the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), Ouahbi stressed that constitutional progress, legislative reforms and institutional changes in Morocco have successfully criminalized all forms of human rights violations, with safeguards to prevent their recurrence.

He also stressed that since the end of the mandate of the Equality and Reconciliation Commission and the adoption of the 2011 Constitution, no cases of enforced disappearances have been recorded.

Ouahbi stressed the importance of this interactive dialogue with the CED, a first of its kind, calling it a “pivotal moment” in Morocco’s ongoing engagement with international treaty bodies. He also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to work closely with the Committee to further implement the provisions of the Convention.

In his speech, the Minister further emphasized Morocco’s leadership as one of the first countries to draft and sign the Convention. In addition, Morocco has been actively involved in global efforts to combat enforced disappearances, joining the Global Initiative for the Convention, together with France, the United States, Argentina and Samoa.

Looking ahead, Ouahbi stressed Morocco’s involvement in hosting the first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances, scheduled for January 2025 in Geneva. He expressed hope that the event will encourage more states to join the Convention and contribute to ending enforced disappearances worldwide.

Morocco was also one of the first countries to set up the National Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up Mechanisms (MNIRF), represented by the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights (DIDH) since 2011. According to Ouahbi, this mechanism has strengthened Morocco’s cooperation with the UN human rights systems.

The Minister also highlighted shared global challenges, particularly enforced disappearances related to migration and transnational crime, which require international and regional cooperation. He stressed the importance of promoting a culture of human rights through education, adopting a gender-sensitive approach to addressing violations and ensuring the participation of women in transitional justice processes.

In addition to Morocco, Norway and Ukraine will also present their first reports at the 27th session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, as part of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), which will be held from 23 September to 4 October.

The Moroccan delegation is made up of representatives from various institutions, including both houses of Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights, the General Delegation for Prison Management and Reintegration, the Presidium of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Directorate-General for National Security.