Advocacy / Morocco
NGOs petition UN working group to rule Moroccan activist’s detention as arbitrary
Committee for Justice, Freedom House, and MENA Rights Group have jointly petitioned the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Nasser Zefzafi, an imprisoned political activist in Morocco. Zefzafi is serving an unjust 20-year prison sentence for his peaceful activism on behalf of his indigenous Amazigh community in the marginalized Rif region.
Elections of the Human Rights Council President for the 18th cycle in 2024
The UN Human Rights Council prepares to elect its 2024 President from Africa—Morocco & South Africa in the running. In a joint letter, MENA Rights group joins a coalition of NGOs in urging all members of the Council to elect the Council President based on Council membership criteria.
2 years in detention: Uyghur activist Idris Hasan must be released
Marking the 2 year anniversary of his arrest, MENA Rights Group and Safeguard Defenders call on Moroccan authorities to cancel extradition proceedings against Uyghur activist Idris Hasan and to ensure his passage to a safe country.
Universal Periodic Review of Morocco: An opportunity for the authorities to address the ongoing rollback on human rights?
On November 8, 2022, the United Nations’ Human Rights Council (HRC) held its 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Morocco. The UPR is a peer review mechanism by which UN Member States provide recommendations to improve the human rights record of the countries under review. Ahead of the review, in March 2022, MENA Rights Group submitted a shadow report outlining a set of recommendations.
Rights groups reiterate their call on Moroccan authorities to end the persecution of Taoufik Bouachrine, and other critical journalists
MENA Rights Group joined 41 civil society organisations in signing an open letter to the Moroccan authorities urging them to release, among other journalists and human rights defenders, Taoufik Bouachrine. The journalist is currently detained for simply exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Joint letter to the Prime Minister of Morocco condemning the extradition of Hassan al-Rabea
On February 13, 2023, MENA Rights Group and over 20 human rights organisations sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Morocco condemning and seeking an explanation for the extradition of Saudi national Hassan al-Rabea to Saudi Arabia, where he risks serious human rights abuses including torture.
Joint letter to the Prime Minister of Morocco: do not extradite Hassan al-Rabea to Saudi Arabia
On February 6, 2023, MENA Rights Group joined human rights organisations in sending an open letter to the Moroccan Prime Minister, urging him not to extradite Hassan al-Rabea to Saudi Arabia, where he faces torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention.
Uyghur activist Yidiresi Aishan at risk of extradition after one year of detention in Morocco
A coalition of human rights NGOs calls on the Moroccan authorities to cancel the extradition proceedings against Yidiresi Aishan and release him from his year-long detention.
Call to reject the extradition of Yidiresi Aishan to China on the grounds of non-refoulement
Joint letter signed by 15 human rights NGOs calling on the Prime Minister of Morocco to reject the extradition of Yidiresi Aishan to China on the grounds of non-refoulement.
Release Omar Radi and guarantee fair trial proceedings
Ahead of the trial of Moroccan journalist Omar Radi on April 6, 2021, MENA Rights Group and 15 CSOs urged the Moroccan authorities to grant him provisional release and guarantee fair trial proceedings for all parties.