Rabat:The President of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, emphasized the importance of humanizing the debate on the death penalty during a press conference held in Rabat. She argued against using the deprivation of life as a tool for justice, highlighting the need for society to confront itself by seeking preventive and inclusive solutions to avoid recurring tragedies.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Bouayach called on the Moroccan executive and legislative branches to seize the political moment to shift from a de facto moratorium on the death penalty to its total legal abolition. Abderrahim Jamaï, coordinator of the Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CMCPM), discussed global challenges to the right to life and stressed the importance of collective efforts by human rights advocates and civil society to avoid regression in this area.
Jamaï praised Morocco’s decision to host the 10th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Marrakech, considering it a sign of political commitment to strengthening human rights and moving towards total abolition. Raphael Chenuil-Hazan, Director General of Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM), noted Morocco’s longstanding moratorium since 1993 and its supportive stance at the United Nations as bolstering its international human rights reputation.
Daniele Dotto, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Morocco, highlighted the global trend towards abolishing the death penalty and commended the positive momentum in Africa. He reiterated the EU’s support for Morocco in organizing the upcoming World Congress, viewing it as a demonstration of leadership and confidence.
Abdallah Mouseddad from the Moroccan Prison Observatory (OMP) emphasized the theme “Testify for Life” to underline the impact on those condemned and their families, advocating for an African abolition protocol, mental health care for inmates, and stronger reintegration programs.
The event concluded with a declaration urging the Moroccan government to prioritize legislative reforms to abolish the death penalty and remove it from the Penal Code. Participants also called on Parliament to ratify the Second Optional Protocol without delay. The meeting featured speeches from various professional networks and representatives of the diplomatic corps, public institutions, and human rights organizations, underscoring a unified commitment to this human rights cause.