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Antécédents de l'affaire: Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi

Statut: 
Libéré
À propos de la situation

Abdelkhalik ElMarkhi a été libéré le 29 avril 2018, après avoir purgé sa peine de quatre ans de prison.

À propos d'Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi

Abdelkhalik ElmarkhiAbdelkhalik Elmarkhi est membre du Comité Sahraoui pour la défense des droits humains, et membre de la section locale de l'Association marocaine des droits humains à Guelmim. Le Comité Sahraoui pour la défense des droits humains plaide en faveur des droits humains et documente les violations des droits humains au Sahara Occidental sous administration marocaine. L'AMDH promeut les droits humains, sensibilise le public à la question, et signale les violations de ces droits perpétrées au Maroc.

3 Août 2016
La cour rejette l'appel du défenseur des droits humains Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi

Mise à jour: Abdelkhalik ElMarkhi a été libéré le 29 avril 2018, après avoir purgé sa peine de quatre ans de prison.

Le 3 août 2016, la Cour de Cassation de Rabat a rejeté la demande de réexamen de l'affaire du défenseur des droits humains Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi suite à sa condamnation à quatre ans de prison le 27 novembre 2014. Il est actuellement détenu dans la prison de Tiznit.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi est un défenseur des droits humains sahraoui; il est membre du Comité Sahraoui pour la défense des droits humains, qui documente les violations des droits humains au Sahara Occidental sous administration marocaine. Il est également membre de l'Association marocaine des droits de l'Homme (AMDH) à Guelmim, qui promeut les droits humains par le biais de l'éducation et de la sensibilisation, la surveillance des violations perpétrées dans le pays notamment à l'encontre du peuple Sahraoui, et fournit un soutien juridique aux victimes de violations des droits humains au Maroc.

Le 1er octobre 2013, un mandat d'arrêt a été lancé contre Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi après qu'il a participé à une manifestation condamnant l'assassinat d'un jeune sahraoui dans la ville d'Assa lors d'une manifestation en faveur de l'autodétermination du peuple sahraoui en septembre 2013.

Le 29 avril 2014, il a été arrêté dans le poste central de police à Guelmim, dans le sud du Maroc, où il était venu prendre des renseignements à propos d'une perquisition menée par la police marocaine dont il a fait l'objet. Il a été placé en détention préventive pendant sept mois puis il a été inculpé pour "blocage de la circulation", "incitation à la violence et à la désobéissance", "participation à un rassemblement armé la nuit" et "coups et blessures contre des fonctionnaires dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions". Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi a été condamné à quatre ans de prison par la chambre criminelle de première instance de la cour d'appel d'Agadir.

Le 23 mars 2015, la seconde chambre criminelle de la cour d'appel a confirmé la peine prononcée contre Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi, bien que la défense n'ait pas eu l'opportunité de plaider.

Le 3 août 2016, la cour de cassation de Rabat a rejeté la demande d'appel pour examiner l'affaire d'Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi; il s'agit du dernier recourt.

Front Line Defenders est préoccupée par la confirmation de la condamnation d'Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi. Front Line Defenders exhorte les autorités marocaines à revoir et annuler l'inculpation, et à libérer sans condition Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi , car il semble que son incarcération soit uniquement liée à son travail de promotion et de protection des droits du peuple sahraoui.

23 Mars 2015
Sentence upheld against Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi

On 23 March 2015, the Second Instance Criminal Chamber at the Court of Appeal in Agadir upheld the sentence of human rights defender Mr Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi. On 27 November 2014 he had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment on charges relating to “obstructing traffic”, “incitement to commit violence and disobedience”, “participating in an armed mob at night” and “deliberately beating and wounding public servants while they carried out their work duties”. During the trial, the defence was reportedly not given the opportunity to plea.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi is a member of the Sahrawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, and a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) in Guelmim. The Sahrawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights documents human rights violations in the Moroccan-administered Western Sahara. The AMDH promotes and raises awareness of human rights and also reports on violations of the rights of Sahrawis in Morocco.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi was initially arrested on 29 April 2014 inside Guelmim central police station in southern Morocco where he had gone to make an inquiry. He was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued against him on 1 October 2013, but no reasons were given for the arrest. In September 2013, Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi had participated in demonstrations condemning the killing of Rasheed Al Sheen, a young Sahrawi man who was killed in Assa city while demonstrating for the self-determination of Sahrawis.

Front Line Defenders expresses its concern at the decision to uphold the sentence against Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi. Front Line Defenders urges the Moroccan authorities to review and quash the conviction, and to unconditionally release Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi, as it is believed that his imprisonment is solely motivated by his work to promote and protect the rights of the Sahrawi people.

8 Février 2015
Concern for Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi's health as he resumes his hunger strike

On 8 February 2015, human rights defender Mr Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi resumed his hunger strike, which he had suspended on 28 January 2015 after a public official from the prosecution office reportedly promised that his demands would be considered. He is currently held in the prison's medical unit.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi is a member of the Sahrawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, and a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) in Guelmim. The Sahrawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights documents human rights violations in Western Sahara. The AMDH promotes and raises awareness of human rights and reports on violations of the rights of Sahrawis in Morocco.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi originally began his hunger strike on 15 January 2015 to demand a fair trial and to protest the conditions of his detention, including ill-treatment and restrictions imposed on his communications with his family. His health was reported as being in serious conditions, and he had lost seven kilograms during the initial hunger strike. His family was informed by telephone by other detainees that the human rights defender was transferred to the prison's medical unit in poor health.

The human rights defender was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the First Instance Criminal Chamber at the Court of Appeal in Agadir on 27 November 2014, after spending more than seven months in pre-trial detention. The human rights defender was convicted on charges relating to “obstructing traffic”, “incitement to commit violence and disobedience”, “participating in an armed mob at night” and “beating and wounding public servants while they carried out their duties”. The next appeal trial session is scheduled to take place on 16 February 2015.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi has been in detention since his arrest on 29 April 2014 inside Guelmim central police station in southern Morocco where he had gone to make an inquiry. He was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued against him on 1 October 2013. At the time of his arrest, Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi was not informed of the reasons for his the action. Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi participated in demonstrations in September 2013 condemning the killing of Rasheed Al Sheen, a young Sahrawi man who was killed in Assa city while demonstrating for the self-determination of Sahrwais.

Front Line Defenders is concerned for the health of Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi and reiterates its call to quash the sentence against him, which appears to be motivated solely by his human rights work.

30 Avril 2014
Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Mr Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi

On 29 April 2014, human rights defender Mr Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi was arrested inside Guelmim central police station in Southern Morocco. Upon Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi's arrival at the station to make an inquiry, the head of security ordered his arrest. The human rights defender was aggressively hand-cuffed and detained, and friends accompanying him were coerced to leave the premises. Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi was attempting to retrieve personal possessions and official documents confiscated by the police during a raid on the human rights defender's home on 29 September 2013. The search was conducted without a valid warrant, and the items include the human rights defender's passport and driving license.

Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi had sent an official communiqué to the head of security in Guelmim, stating that the prosecutor's office denied having issued a warrant permitting a search of the human rights defender's home, and inquiring as to the fate of his confiscated documents. As the possessions had still not been returned, Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi visited the station to make the inquiry in person.

It is not known whether the Moroccan authorities will charge Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi, or how long his detention will last.

Front Line Defenders expresses its concern regarding the arbitrary detention of Abdelkhalik Elmarkhi and continued failure to return his personal documents, as it is believed that these actions are solely related to the human rights defender's peaceful and legitimate human rights work.