Open letter to UN Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights Geneva - Switzerland

Cc: The Excellences Ministers of Foreigners Affairs of the following States: 

• France 

• United States of America 

• England

• Spain 

• Netherland

• Belgium

• Germany

• Sweden

• Denmark

• Norway

• Italy

• Canada 

• Australia 

Object: Urgent Appeals on Human Rights Violations in Morocco

Excellences,

Thousands of Moroccans marched in the northern town of Al Hoceima to protest against injustice and corruption on May 30, 2017. Authorities in Morocco on May 29, 2017 arrested Nasser Zafzafi, the leader of the protest movement that has shaken the country's northern Rif region for months, after a fishmonger was crushed inside a garbage truck there while trying to retrieve his fish confiscated by the police. The prosecutor of the northern coastal city of Al-Hoceima said Nasser Zafzafi, who had been on the run since May 26th, had been taken into custody. Demonstrators expressed support for Zafzafi. More than 70 activists were arrested, the clearance police operations involved human rights violations against peaceful protesters including: extrajudicial excess use of force; disappearances; torture and other ill-treatment, and other crimes of sexual violence. According to the Amazigh world news and other human rights group observers that Silia Ziani and Nabil Ahamjik, two prominent figures of the ongoing protest in Rif region have been arrested early last week by the Moroccan authorities and remains in detention.

A large number and overall patterns of human rights violations and abuses in the Rif, Western Sahara and other regions of Morocco including torture, disappearance and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment have already been well documented, while many more allegations require further investigation.

The Moroccan authorities organized a group of criminal’s record called (Baltajia) counter demonstrators giving them Moroccan flags and posters of the King with batons and rocks and has been created another group is called Young Royalists financially supported their job is to attempts to disrupt peaceful demonstration and attack the protesters who against the corruption and injustice of the monarchy dictatorship of Morocco.

The Moroccan government’s response to these documented violations has ranged from blanket denials of any wrongdoing by security forces to numerous attempts to discredit reports of abuses by eyewitnesses and survivors. 

The rise of social and democratic protest in Morocco, in a context marked by the deepening of the crisis and the effects of the movement of the Rif and the arrest of its leader Naser Zafzafi, any evidence of excessive use of force in the dispersal of demonstrations or arrests, abductions and any kind of intimidation, that reveals the truth visage of the dictatorial is a nature of the monarchy corrupt regime of Morocco. 

In this context, a wide campaign of international solidarity against repression would help isolate the monarchy dictatorial and corrupt regime of Morocco, is the creation of a vast movement of solidarity opinion of fighting for freedom and democratic for the Moroccan people. All activists and Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and all human rights in the RIF and around the world take the seriousness of the situation of these rights under the Moroccan dictatorial and corrupt regime has been violated, under the regime of the dictator and corrupt King Mohamed VI human rights and freedom of speech is always been violated with the excessive force during dispersal of demonstrations or arrests, abduction and intimidation especially when the people protest against seizing mineral resources in secret gold mines which being smuggled out of Morocco, as well of billions of Dollars has been smuggled to Panama, Switzerland and to other countries in Africa in form of investments and developments and looting of public money by the King Mohamed VI and his close friends in the government and parliament that neglecting the Moroccan people living in the poverty, marginalization, ignorance lack the basic infrastructure that can fit for human life such a healthcare, education, housing and other basic human social needs. Millions of young people unemployed cannot afford job, nepotism and corruption in all Moroccan administrations including the judicial system. 

The international community does nothing so far to stop this drama since the independence of Morocco (Massacre of Rif in 1958 and 1959, Murder of Casablanca 1965 and 1981, assassinations and torture in secret jails Deb Moulay Cherif, Airport Anfa, Kenetra and Tazmamart and other secret detentions of the civilians and military opponents of the dictator King Hassan II in years of 70 and 80). As defender of human rights, freedom of speech and fighter for peace and justice for all human kind, I would like to urge all human rights organizations in the world to stop the massive violations committed by the forces of the regime of the dictator King Mohamed VI against the people of Morocco.

A large number and overall patterns of human rights violations and abuses in the Rif, Western Sahara and other regions of Morocco including torture, disappearance and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment have already been well documented, while many more allegations require further investigation.

The Moroccan government’s response to these documented violations has ranged from blanket denials of any wrongdoing by security forces to numerous attempts to discredit reports of abuses by eyewitnesses and survivors. 

The prohibition against torture is a bedrock principle of international law, torture, as well as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and using any kind of violence, materials or group against peaceful protesters or journalists is banned at all times, in all places and it is against the international law. 

The international community should take effective legislative measures to prevent any acts of torture against political prisoners and put more pressure on the Moroccan dictatorship and corrupt regime to respect the human rights, freedom of speech and free all the political prisoners.