Press release
Some media have been reporting news on the publication of the report of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH) on the allegations of torture suffered by certain detainees of Al Hoceima’s protest movement. In order to clarify any ambiguity in this respect, the CNDH provides the following clarifications:
1. The CNDH is surprised at the partial leaking of the document that has been addressed exclusively and keenly to the concerned party;
2. The one-sided exploitation of certain excerpts from an internal document has led to deductions that are not drawn up by the two expert doctors appointed by the CNDH to find tangible proof of torture of all detainees who were examined and listened to by them.
3. The work carried out by the two expert doctors is a part of the Council’s means of work to complete its reports on such events.
Therefore, these reports are not final, and they do not represent the position of the Council and its conviction based on the investigations, research, interviews and examinations carried out by its teams on the ground.
4. The Council confirms that the work done by the experts has been placed at the disposal of the competent authority to take legal and appropriate measures. The Council cannot, morally and legally, encroach upon the competence of the judiciary, as recommended by the experts;
5. The Council considers that the conclusions and recommendations of the comprehensive and final report on the events of Al Hoceima and its repercussions are the only reference to the assessment of the different processes of all events in all dimensions and stages with impartiality, objectivity and responsibility, as the Council has always done in all its reports.