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Join on Telegram The Justice and Development Party (PJD) has reiterated its position regarding the death penalty following Morocco’s anticipated vote in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on capital punishment.
PJD conveyed its position on Tuesday following the party’s leadership extraordinary session., The death penalty as prescribed in Islamic law serves both as a form of retribution and a deterrent, providing a “sense of justice” to society and to the families of the victims, the party argued.
According to the PJD statement, “the death penalty plays a role in calming societal unrest, in addition to its deterrent function.”
Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced this week that the country was set to vote in favor of the resolution, describing the decision as a “testament to Morocco’s commitment to safeguarding the right to life.
“The right to life is the first right of every human being. The law protests this right,” Ouahbi said, citing article 20 of the Moroccan constitution.
Read also: Morocco to Cast Unprecedented Vote in Favor of UN Death Penalty Resolution
The death penalty is part of Morocco’s penal code but the North African country has upheld a de facto moratorium on executions since 1993.
Many activists and NGOs, and stakeholders, have endorsed the vote against the death penalty.
Before news emerged this week of Morocco’s anticipated vote in favor of the UN resolution, the Moroccan National Human Rights Council (CNDH) had long called on the government to align the country’s regulations on the death penalty with international human rights standards.
Moroccois planning to introduce a new law on alternative sentencing that will take effect starting August 22 next year.
The law’s implementation aims to reduce prison overcrowding and promote rehabilitation by encouraging values like work ethic and self improvement.
The law includes non custodial penalties for misdemeanors with sentences of up to five years, excluding offenses such as security crimes, terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
