I am writing to express my deep concern following violent police repression during a peaceful demonstration in Rabat on 15 June 2007. The demonstration was organised in Rabat in solidarity with detained members of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH-Association Marocaine des Droits de l'Homme) arrested for participation in peaceful demonstrations on 01 May 2007.
Demonstrations were organized in several towns across Morocco in solidarity with members of AMDH on 15 June 2007. In Rabat, the violent attacks by police resulted in fifteen demonstrators been hospitalised and at least seventeen members of AMDH receiving injuries. These included: Khadija Nitassi, who suffered a fracture on her foot and Hassan Mahfoud, member of the administrative commission, who is suffering from a burst eardrum. The president of AMDH, Khadija Ryadi, the vice-presidents of the AMDH, Amine Abdelhamid and Abdelilah Ben Abdeslam, and Omar Akji, president of the Tiflet section of AMDH, were also seriously injured following the violent repression in Rabat.
Ten members of AMDH, Abdelkbir Rabaaoui, Abass Abbassi, Mohamed Fadel, Abdelaziz Timor, Brahim Ahansal, Smaïn Amrar, Mohamed Boughrine, Abderrahmane Aaji, Mohamed Yousfi and Nabil Cherqui, were arrested on 6 June 2007 in Beni Mellal in connection with their participation the previous day in a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with their seven colleagues who had been sentenced. They are accused of the same crimes as their colleagues, i.e. “offences against the sacred values of the kingdom”. Nine of them have been released on bail but Mohamed Boughrine, who is 72, remains in custody. They are due to appear in court on 25 June 2007.
On 1 May 2007, seven members of the AMDH were arrested following their participation in peaceful demonstrations to mark International Worker’s Day. On 10 May, the Court of first instance of Agadir sentenced Abderrahim Karrad and Mehdi Berbouchi to two-years imprisonment and fined them 10,000 Dirham each. On 22 May, the Ksar El Kebir Court of first instance sentenced Thami Khyati, Youssef Reggab, Oussama Ben Messaoud, Ahmed Al Kaateb, and Rabii Raïssouni to three-years imprisonment and fined them 10,000 Dirham each. The seven members of AMDH were prosecuted for “offences against the sacred values of the kingdom”, for having allegedly chanted slogans criticising the monarchy during the demonstrations. According to reports, the accused did not receive fair trials and were subjected to ill-treatment during their arrest.
I call on the Moroccan authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the police repression of members of AMDH and grant the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders; Mohamed Boughrine, Abderrahim Karrad, Mehdi Berbouchi, Thami Khyati, Youssef Reggab, Oussama Ben Messaoud, Ahmed Al Kaateb and Rabii Raïssouni, as they are being detained solely on the basis of their legitimate non-violent human rights work.
The president of AMDH, Khadija Ryadi