The CNDH Urges the Government to Protect the Rights of Immigrants in Morocco

CASABLANCA – The National Council for Human Rights submitted this week a report to the king concerning the necessity to put forward a new policy to protect the right of immigrants in Morocco.

The report called for a convenient settlement for refugees, asylum seekers and all foreigners who entered the kingdom illegally.

Ms. Myriem Khrouz, CNDH member, asserts “The report talks about all foreigners and not just African immigrants.” Indeed, the CNDH report is entitled “Foreigners and Human Rights in Morocco: For a new policy for asylum and immigration.” Ms. Khrouz adds that contrary to what is commonly believed, illegal immigrants from Palestine, Iraq, Syria and European countries are more numerous than African immigrants.

In fact, the Ministry of Interior had revealed in a statement issued in June 2013 that a growing number of European citizens especially from France and Spain chose to settle permanently in Morocco to set up their own business.

The steep rise in the number of European citizens can be ascribed to the economic crisis that plagued many European countries. In the same vein, sources close to Spanish diplomats revealed that Morocco received 5000 Spanish citizen, 50% of them are illegal immigrants.

That said, the CNDH report urged Moroccan authorities to “prohibit the recruitment of illegal immigrants and to look for a convenient settlement for employees in an illegal situation.”

The report calls also for an equal treatment of immigrant workers especially in wages and social rights. The CNDH report urges the government to amend the article 416 of the labor code so as to enable immigrants to access administrative and managerial positions.

The question of illegal labor in Morocco includes also the recruitment of Filipinos housemaids prone to different forms of abuse. The Democratic Organization of Labor (ODT) was the first union to denounce violence against Filipinos maids.

The ODT has also created a organization to defend the rights of immigrant workers in Morocco.

In the light of the data collected and the recommendations made by the CNDH, the government soon formed a commission to investigate the situation of different categories of immigrants.