Moroccan Human Rights Council calls for protecting personal freedoms

The Moroccan Human Rights Council reacted to the arrest of a Moroccan journalist on charges of abortion and sex out-of-wedlock saying that the national laws should be amended to be compatible with the constitution.

The arrest of Hajar Raissouni and her Sudanese fiancé as well as three other people for their alleged involvement in an abortion act caused uproar in Morocco where activists had staged a sit-in calling for their release and denouncing the arrest as a violation of personal freedoms.

In a statement, the CNDH said it is closely following the debate on individual freedoms as well as abortion that were raised after the arrest of Hajar Raissouni.

The Council will present in the upcoming days its recommendations for the purpose of the amendment of the penal code currently under MPs scrutiny.

While voicing hope for the release of Hajar and her Sudanese fiancé, the CNDH encouraged action towards making Moroccan laws compatible with the constitution and international instruments.

The council also condemned the attacks and insults leveled at Raissouni online and in media publications.

The Council said that it has tasked a representative to follow the trial.

Several international NGOs, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, condemned the arrest of the young woman and called for dropping all charges against her for her immediate release.

 

The NGOs argued that her arrest violates her right to privacy.