Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Miscellaneous Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Twin Threats: How the Politics of Fear and the Crushing of Civil Society Imperil Global Rights
- Rights in Transition: Making Legal Recognition for Transgender People a Global Priority
- Ending Child Marriage: Meeting the Global Development Goals’ Promise to Girls
- Children Behind Bars: The Global Overuse of Detention of Children
- Countries
Morocco and Western Sahara
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 September 2022
- Frontmatter
- Miscellaneous Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Twin Threats: How the Politics of Fear and the Crushing of Civil Society Imperil Global Rights
- Rights in Transition: Making Legal Recognition for Transgender People a Global Priority
- Ending Child Marriage: Meeting the Global Development Goals’ Promise to Girls
- Children Behind Bars: The Global Overuse of Detention of Children
- Countries
Summary
Morocco regressed on human rights in several areas in 2015, and advanced in few. Restrictions tightened on human rights groups, both domestic and international; at least two Moroccans spent the year in prison for “falsely” denouncing torture, and many continued serving long prison terms after unfair trials for politically motivated offenses. Authorities often tolerated protest demonstrations, but in Western Sahara systematically prevented gatherings supporting self-determination for the contested territory.
More positively, a new law took effect that ended military trials of civilians, and authorities for the first time legally recognized a human rights organization in Western Sahara led by people critical of Moroccan rule. Morocco granted temporary legal status to United Nations-recognized asylum-seekers and thousands of economic migrants, pending an overhaul of its laws on asylum and foreigners on Moroccan soil.
Freedom of Expression
Laws that criminalize acts deemed harmful to the king, the monarchy, Islam, or Morocco's claim over Western Sahara limited the rights to peaceful expression, assembly, and association.
Independent print and online media continued to investigate and criticize government officials and policies, but faced prosecution and harassment if they criticized the king or his advisors. The press law mandates prison terms for “maliciously” spreading “false information” that authorities believe may disturb public order, or for speech ruled defamatory.
Authorities arbitrarily imposed administrative obstacles to impede the efforts of journalist Ali Lmrabet to register a new satirical weekly, following his completion of a 10-year sentence banning him from practicing journalism in Morocco. Police in Rabat confiscated tapes from and expelled two French television journalists on February 16 on the grounds that they had been filming in the country without authorization.
Moroccan state television allows some space for debate and investigative reporting but none for direct criticism of the palace or dissent on key issues.
Freedom of Assembly and Association
Authorities tolerated numerous marches and rallies demanding political reform and protesting government actions but forcibly dispersed some peaceful gatherings. In Western Sahara, authorities prohibited all public gatherings deemed hostile to Morocco's contested rule over that territory, dispatching large numbers of police who blocked access to demonstrations before they could even assemble.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- World Report 2016Events of 2015, pp. 408 - 416Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2016