Abolition of the death penalty: CNDH calls for a national dialogue, to champion human rights and the right to life
CNDH Secretary General Mohamed Essabbar took part on Wednesday, 4 March 2015 in the biennial high-level panel discussion on the question of the death penalty (Regional efforts aiming at the abolition of the death penalty and challenges faced in that regard).
Speaking to this 28th UNHRC panel, Mr. Essabbar said that capital punishment no longer fits in Morocco’s penal policies. Article 20 of the constitution provides for the right to life and there have been no executions in Morocco since 1993. This is an effective moratorium, “despite the fact the Moroccan courts still sentence people to death”. Up to 120 prisoners are on death row.
Morocco should harmonize its legal arsenal with the international human rights instruments. It should “ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, and vote for the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty”, Mr. Essabbar said.
He stressed that the death penalty deters no crimes. It is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can be used, in some contexts, for political reasons.
The death penalty sparked a national debate in Morocco. Human rights defenders are calling for the abolition, but other stakeholders in society still argue against. CNDH calls for a broad rational national debate, to find a common ground where mutual understanding can prevail. The debate will help convince people to champion human rights and the right to life.