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Rabat – Twenty Moroccan human rights organizations have appealed to Moroccan officials to urgently intervene to secure the release of over 200 young Moroccan citizens reportedly detained in Myanmar.
The detainees are believed to be held in a camp near the Thai-Chinese border. The Moroccan Coalition of Human Rights Organizations, a group comprising twenty associations and rights groups, received alarming complaints from the Committee of Families of Human Trafficking Victims in Myanmar.
According to converging news reports, the complaints allege that more than two hundred Moroccans are being detained under dire conditions, suffering from torture, malnutrition, lack of medical care, and forced labor. They are also reportedly being exploited in online fraud schemes by Chinese gangs.
Despite numerous complaints filed with various Moroccan authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation, the Moroccan Embassy in Thailand, the General Directorate of National Security, and the National Human Rights Council, the families still await the return of their loved ones.
While the Public Prosecution Office in Casablanca has acknowledged the situation and initiated an investigation, little progress has been made in the case.
Some families have resorted to personal efforts, securing the release of one Moroccan woman and three men through various means, including the intervention of international humanitarian organizations and paying ransoms to the captors.
In response to the situation, the families staged two protests on May 16. The first protest took place outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation in the Capital Rabat, and the second in front of the Chinese Embassy in Rabat.
In addition, a press conference was held at the Moroccan Association for Human Rights headquarters to amplify their call for urgent action.
The Moroccan Coalition of Human Rights Organizations highlighted that these young Moroccans are victims of inadequate public policies that fail to provide sufficient employment opportunities, leading them into vulnerable situations.
The coalition has urged officials to maintain communication with the affected families and provide updates that might alleviate their anxiety and distress.
The joint letter from the human rights organizations was addressed to several key figures, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation, the Minister Delegate in charge of Human Rights, the President of the National Human Rights Council, the Attorney General, and the Director General of National Security.
The letters were also sent to the Chinese and Thai embassies in Rabat, urging them to press their respective governments to help secure the release of the detained Moroccans.
Read Also: Source: 14 Kidnapped Moroccans at Thai-Myanmar Border Endure Death Threats
