Permanent Secretariat of African network of national preventive mechanisms against torture inaugurated in Rabat
The headquarters of the permanent secretariat of the African network of national preventive mechanisms against torture was inaugurated on Saturday in Rabat at the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) head office.
The permanent secretariat’s inauguration by representatives of African network members translates the collective commitment of human rights defenders in Africa and their shared determination to prevent torture on the continent.
Establishing the permanent secretariat of the African network aligns with efforts of national torture preventive mechanisms to prevent this crime against humanity on the continent, and reaffirms Africa’s determination to protect human dignity and create a common continental front against this practice.
In addition to institutionalizing efforts and establishing solid foundations and dynamic operational structures during its first mandate, the network vows to facilitate joint action, coordinate activities of national torture preventive mechanisms at regional and continental levels, and strengthen technical support. It is also meant to foster sharing best practices and building the capacities of national torture preventive mechanisms in Africa.
In a statement to the press, coordinator of the Moroccan Preventive Mechanism against Torture Mohamed Benajiba said that this event falls within the framework of activating the African network of national preventive mechanisms against torture, following the constitution phase started in Marrakech in 2023 and the second in Cape Verde.
Benajiba explained that Morocco, which set up its national mechanism in 2019, carried out 169 visits after five years, noting that the Kingdom is currently a model to follow in Africa.
For his part, President of Senegal’s National Observatory of Places of Deprivation of Liberty, Madiaw Diaw, stated that participation in this initiative was motivated by the willingness to promote sharing and exchanging African experience in torture prevention, and to examine ways of federating efforts to achieve fruitful results.
The inauguration of the permanent secretariat headquarters in Morocco was an opportunity for the seven members of the steering committee to prepare for the general assembly, to be held shortly in Cape Verde, and to share their views on the subject, he added.
For his part, Chairman of Mauritania’s National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, Al Bekay Abdelmalek, felt honored to be part of this network, which includes Morocco, Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde, South Africa and Mozambique. He noted that the aim is to work together to improve these mechanisms in order to respect the rights and dignity of every individual.
He also emphasized that this inauguration of the permanent secretariat, which chairs the network, reflects the determination of the members to establish close collaboration in order to guarantee positive results.
The African Network of National Preventive Mechanisms against Torture, an initiative whose foundations were laid in Marrakech in 2023, embodies Africa’s common goal of promoting the defense of human rights and protecting their dignity through institutional and sustainable African cooperation.
