News
Mediterranean Programme - [06/13/2007]
Defenders of Maghrebi Human Rights denounce lack of democracy in Maghreb
Representatives of Human Rights defence organisations in the Maghreb have criticised the lack of democracy in the Maghreb, claiming that the countries cannot be called States of Law or democratic regimes. These declarations were made at the Campana Hall at CIDOB, during the course of the 1st Encounter with Maghrebi Human Rights Defenders in Barcelona, a debate workshop organised by the Mediterranean Programme of the CIDOB Foundation and the organisation Elcàlam (Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in the Maghreb).
The Maghrebi representatives, on analysing the Human Rights situation in their countries, pointed out that it would be more appropriate to speak of Morocco as a country in transition to democracy. This lack of democracy in the Maghreb, the speakers argued, takes the form of a lack of values, international treaties and national legislation.
With respect to values, the representatives reported that Maghrebi society is deprived of equality and the right to difference. Furthermore, the speakers went on to criticise the drawbacks of non-ratified international treaties, such as the second optional protocol aimed at abolishing the death penalty from the international agreement on civil and political rights. The participants also complained about treaties that have been signed, but with reservations, such as the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. Finally, speaking about national legislation, the Maghrebi representatives highlighted the existence of laws that do not comply with international regulations on Human Rights, giving examples such as the Moroccan constitution and the country's Anti-terrorist Law.
In addition, the Maghrebi organisations that took part in the workshop denounced the persecution that they suffer under their countries' regimes. The International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners complained that the Tunisian authorities deny that the country has any political prisoners; instead they are considered to be terrorists. The Maghrebi participants, who criticised the tougheningof the Anti-terrorist Law, fear that there is a real danger of fostering real terrorism, given that this repression may encourage a spirit of rebellion among the young.
Furthermore, the speakers focused on the lack of freedom of expression, complaining that the media in the Maghreb are “instrumentalised” and that justice in these countries “is neither impartial nor independent”, a factor that aggravates, they claim, the terrible state of Human Rights in the region.
In their proposals for improving the situation, the participants insisted on the need to continue receiving support and aid from European civil society and European states and institutions. They called for more international pressure on the regimes in the Maghreb in order to forcethe transition to democracy. They also recommended making the situation more visible, mobilising the civil society and helping to encourage new defenders of human rights to participate in the situation.
Meanwhile, the Catalan organisations emphasised the cooperation they have been carrying out with the main Maghrebi Human Rights defence organisations for a long time, as well as expressing their determination to continue their activity, and to work even harder to improve the situation.
The meeting brought together representatives of Maghrebi organisations such as the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, the Movement of Families of the Disappeared in Algeria, the Tunisian Human Rights League and the International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners (also from Tunisia), as well as Catalan organisations such as the Catalonia Institute for Human Rights, Justice and Peace, Amnesty International, Sodepau and the Oficina de Promoció de la Pau i Drets Humans.
