Rabat, Sept 17, 2012 (SPS) - The Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, Eric Goldstein, has noted that Morocco has not seen “significant evolution” with regard to the respect for human rights, highlighting in statements quoted by Spanish News Agency EFE that there are more than 20 Saharawi prisoners still awaiting to be brought before military trail for their participation un Gdeim Izik events on October 2010.
Mr. Goldstein urged Moroccan authorities to seriously investigate on charges of using police in cases of torture to obtain evidences condemning the activists.
Based on testimonies of five activists of the Moroccan pro-reform February 20 Movement, who was sentenced on 12 September 2012 to prison terms, Human Rights Watch reported that the Moroccan police forced the five activists to sign false confessions under torture, where the court considered it the sole evidence against them.
“Morocco can guarantee fair trials only when courts seriously investigate allegations of coerced confessions and dismiss as evidence any confessions the police obtained improperly,” said Eric Goldstein.
The Group was sentenced for assaulting and insulting police officers after what may have been an unfair trial.
The statements coincide with visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture Juan E. Mendez to Morocco and occupied Western Sahara, which lasts until current Sept 22. (SPS)
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