Geneva, November 26, 2011 (SPS) - The UN Committee against Torture expressed Friday its concern about allegations concerning the situation of human rights in Western Sahara, which is occupied by Morocco.
In its conclusions published in the 47th session, the Committee expressed concern about allegations received on the situation in Western Sahara, where cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, solitary confinement (...) torture and ill-treatments have been reported”
The Committee underlined that the President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, has recently asked to extend the prerogatives of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to include the protection and monitoring of human rights in Western Sahara.
The Committee against Torture, the UN has also asked Morocco to make imprescriptibly the crime of torture, criticizing in particular the fact that prisoners remain too long without access to their lawyers.
The Committee regretted on the absence of a Penal Code in a verdict making the crime of torture imprescriptibly.
“Morocco should ensure that, in accordance with its international obligations, those who are guilty of torture, attempt to commit such acts, are complicit (...) or participate may be subject to investigation, prosecution and punishment they cannot benefit from any statute of limitations,” the Committee said, expressing concern on certain existing provisions of the current legal framework concerning torture.
The ten independent experts who are integrate in the Committee regretted that the definition of torture in the Moroccan Penal Code “do not cover situations of complicity, consent or acquiescence of a law enforcement officer or other person acting in an official capacity, adding that the law against terrorism amplifies the risk of torture.
“This law (...) does not allow access to a lawyer except after six days detention at police custody, heightening the risk of torture for suspected detainees, during these times in which they cannot communicate with their families and their lawyers, they are more likely to be tortured,” they explained.
The Committee also called on the Moroccan government to provide before November 25, 2012 information on the implementation of the recommendations to punish the perpetrators of torture or ill-treatments. (SPS)
090/089/TRA