The Moroccan Association for Human Rights released its annual report on the state of human rights in Morocco for the year 2022, painting a grim picture of the situation.
AMDH President Aziz Ghali presented the report during a press conference, highlighting the lack of significant progress or positive developments in upholding rights and freedoms in the country.
The report exposed various violations affecting civil and political rights, including the right to life.
It revealed that during the year, two new death penalty sentences were issued, and the number of people sentenced to death in Moroccan prisons reached 85.
The report also documented deaths in police stations, prisons, hospitals, workplaces, and due to food poisoning, suicide, and other causes.
The issue of political arrests remained persistent, with dozens of summonses, arrests, and judicial actions recorded against individuals expressing their opinions on social media. The report identified 175 political detainees and prisoners of conscience in 2022.
Regarding torture, the report highlighted the controversy between the state and independent organizations about the ongoing practice of torture and ill-treatment. The state often denied such allegations without conducting thorough investigations, despite evidence indicating otherwise, said the association.
The right to freedom of association faced challenges, with authorities in the Ministry of Interior refusing to receive files for establishing or renewing associations, leading to legal battles in administrative courts.
The right to peaceful assembly and protest was also restricted, with authorities preventing and banning demonstrations, often resorting to violence, repression, excessive force, and arbitrary arrests and trials.
Concerning individual freedoms, the report indicated that despite international agreements and covenants, the Moroccan state’s legislative policies continued to undermine freedom of belief and other individual freedoms, particularly for non-Muslims and those with differing ideological choices.
In the area of immigration and asylum, the report depicted a tragic year with violations of immigrants’ rights, including the right to life and protection from human trafficking networks.