The Moroccan Association for Human Rights revealed the dangerous targeting of Shia Muslims, and their prevention of the right to worship and establish places for the revival of religious rituals.
This came during a press conference held by the association, during which it presented two reports, one of which was about the human rights situation in Morocco during the “health emergency”, and the other was its annual report on human rights in the country during the year 2019.
The association said that “the past year has not witnessed any substantial improvement in Moroccan legislative policy, to guarantee and protect freedom of belief and individual freedoms in general,” adding that “the situation of Moroccan Shias, despite them being Muslims, is no less worse than that of non-Muslims, as they are not entitled to establish private places of worship or revive their religious rituals.”
It added, “Morocco witnessed the arrest of 311 political detainees, with 15 death sentences issued during 2019, and the death of 23 in detention centers, which were recorded by the association, in addition to the death of 32 people in hospitals and health centers due to medical negligence or medical errors.”
The association pointed out that the past year witnessed the continuation of “violations of freedom of the press, unfair prosecutions and trials, internet surveillance, spying on journalists and bloggers, interception of communications, and the increasing restrictions on the right to organize peaceful protests, in complete contradiction to Morocco’s obligations under international covenants and treaties.”
