Death penalty: the CNDH reiterates its abolitionist position and calls on parliamentarians to deepen discussions on this issue
The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), Mrs. Amina Bouayach reiterated the abolitionist position of the Council on death penalty and called members of the Parliament to deepen debates on this issue. She stated that the theses debates should address all aspects related to death penalty and take into consideration Morocco’s choices and commitments to consolidate and respect human rights.
Speaking at the opening of the General Assembly of the Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty on January, 18th, 2019, Mrs. Bouayach said that the CNDH will publish its opinion on the draft Criminal Code which is, clearly, in favour of the abolition of death penalty. She also stated that the Council remains open to all opinions in order to explain/clarify its point of views and promote the right to life in accordance with the conventions ratified by Morocco and the constitutional provisions.
The draft Criminal Code reduced the number of offences subject to death penalty, down from 31 to 9. However, Mrs Bouayach added that this situation puts us before a law that is hesitating between whether to retain or abolish the death sentence. This situation requires further advocacy and clarification of the relevant criminal policy framework. Human being should have the right to social, cultural and civic reintegration and not to a sentence that ends his or her life, stressed the CNDH’s Chairperson.
The CNDH considers that a broad and in-depth dialogue on this issue should make it possible to break with this legal indecision. Thus, the Council affirmed, during this event, its willingness to support Moroccan parliamentary network against the death penalty in the organization of this debate.
The Moroccan Minister of Justice and the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights, the Ambassadors of Switzerland and Norway as well as Moroccan and foreign experts took part in the opening session of the General assembly of the Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty.