All cases of torture raised in the troubled Moroccan city of Al-Hoceima will be subject to medical examinations, according to government spokesman and Minister of Communications, Mustapha El Khalfi,
Speaking yesterday at a press briefing held at the end of the weekly government council, El Khalfi explained how complaints are “automatically” accepted, stressing the government’s commitment to investigate any alleged abuses against detainees in Al-Hoceima.
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The number of provisional detention files being investigated has reached 48 in Casablanca, 21 in the Al-Hoceima Court of Appeal and 28 in the Court of First Instance in Al-Hoceima. The data provided by El Khalfi indicates that 40 detainees have been tried to date.
“The vast majority of them [are given] a prison sentence while 20 per cent have been [given] suspended sentences,” he said.
Currently 47 people, the majority of them from Al-Hoceima, are in custody awaiting sentencing.
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Over a hundred people have been arrested following protests in the turbulent Rif region where demonstrators have demanded more jobs and better funding in the region.
On the events of Al-Hoceima earlier this week, the government spokesman said that the number of wounded security officers has increased from 39 to 108. “The Minister of Health has told us that several are hospitalised for resuscitation,” El Khalfi confirmed.
He added that the government showed “esteem” for the work of the security forces, which was “under very difficult conditions”. He warned, however, that the government will be firm about abuses that will be investigated to “do justice to victims”.
In addition, he announced that the national strategy will be updated in order to better meet the needs of human rights. “The strategy will be updated before the end of 2017 to be implemented at the beginning of 2018,” he explained, indicating that various stakeholders, including associations, will be involved in the process.