Together with the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, the APT organised a second seminar on the criminalisation of torture in the country, which took place in Rabat on 15-16 December. Morocco has taken an important step to bring its legislation in line with the UN Convention against Torture (CAT) in 2006, by criminalising torture in national law. In the framework of the implementation of this reform, the seminar brought together over 40 judges, prosecutors, police officers, prison staff and the gendarmerie royale.
On the basis of presentations made by national and international experts, participants analysed the definition of torture as it is described in the CAT and the Moroccan penal code. They also discussed the necessary procedures to make the absolute prohibition of torture valid, insisting on the fact that torture can’t be justified in any case. Based on the fruitful discussions which took place during the seminar, the APT and the Ministry of Justice are going to draft a guide for legal administration staff in Morocco.
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