London, June 3, 2011 (SPS) .- Amnesty International (AI) called the Moroccan authorities to refrain from "use excessive force against protesters," who are “merely exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly”", stating in a dispatch posted on its website on June 2 that, in recent weeks, a number of peaceful protests were subject to a violent crackdown"
“What we are witnessing is a draconian response to people merely exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly”, Amnesty International said., who stated that "seven protesters" are still detained in Tangiers and face criminal charges in relation to their participation in protests.."
“The Moroccan security forces must not repeat the same mistakes that they have made in recent weeks, where peaceful protests were subject to a violent crackdown” said AI adding thatamong the protesters are "political activists, members of organizations defending human rights and supporters of the Movement of 20 February, "which, in line with the movement for change emerged in the region, call for reforms in Morocco, it added.
The organization has also received reports that the security forces have been visiting families of activists from the "20 February Movement", intimating and threatening them" adding that "some some of them treated in government-run hospitals have been denied copies of medical reports detailing their injuries, potentially obstructing their efforts to obtain justice and reparation.".
On 28 and 29 May, protests demanding political and social reform and an end to corruption continued in several cities, including Kenitra, Safi, Fes, Tangiers, Casablanca and Salé.
The protests were mainly peaceful. However, Amnesty International has received numerous testimonies about scores of protesters who were physically assaulted by security forces wearing uniforms as well as civilian clothes. They were beaten with truncheons and sticks and kicked. Several victims, including women and children, sustained head and facial injuries.
In Safi, ten men were reportedly arrested by the security forces, taken to cars, physically assaulted and taken to remote areas where they were abandoned. Many of them returned back home on foot with serious injuries.
On 25 May, about 8,000 doctors gathered in a sit-in in Rabat in front of the Ministry of Health and wanted to march to the parliament. The security forces reportedly physically assaulted them with truncheons and kicked them. At least 40 sustained different injuries. A 43-year-old doctor underwent surgery for a broken pelvis.