Rabat - In light of recent allegations that Hirak-associated prisoners are receiving unjust punishment, Mustapha El Khalfi claims that actions are being taken against any sort of violating activity.
Rabat – In light of recent allegations that Hirak-associated prisoners are receiving unjust punishment, Mustapha El Khalfi claims that actions are being taken against any sort of violating activity.
Over a hundred people have recently been arrested in connection with the Rifian protests that started in Al-Hoceima last fall, in demand of better regional funding and a stabilized job market.
In response to allegations of violations and torture towards Hirak protestors, calls for justice for prisoners have intensified, and later turned violent. The largest incident occurred on Monday during Eid al-Fitr, when brutal clashes erupted between protestors and security forces.
According to Moroccan government spokesman and Minister of Communications, Mustapha El Khalfi, all Al-Hoceima cases of torture will now be subject to medical examinations.
El Khalfi emphasized the government’s commitment to investigating any alleged abuses against Al-Hoceima detainees, and said that complaints will be “automatically accepted.”
21 temporary detention files are under investigation in the Al-Hoceima Court of Appeals, and 28 in Al-Hoceima’s Court of First Instance.
“The vast majority of them are given a prison sentence, while 20 percent have been given suspended sentences,” El Khalfi said. He also announced that national strategies regarding the protests will be updated to better meet human rights needs. “The strategy will be updated before the end of 2017.”
Various associations and stakeholders are to be involved in the progress, which is to be implemented at the beginning of 2018.
