Kingdom of Morocco Equity and Reconciliation Commission ESTABLISHING TRUTH AND RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS A National Commission on Truth, Equity and Reconciliation Kingdom of Morocco Equity and Reconciliation Commission Final Report Volume 2 ESTABLISHING TRUTH AND RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I STANDARDS AND REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................10 I. Legal Protection from Enforced Disappearance ..............................................................................10 1. In International Law ............................................................................................................................................10 2. In National Legislation ......................................................................................................................................13 II. Legal Protection from Arbitrary Detention ........................................................................................14 1. In International Law ............................................................................................................................................14 2. In National Legislation ......................................................................................................................................15 III. Legal Protection against Torture and Ill-treatment .................................................................16 1. In International Law ............................................................................................................................................16 2. In National Legislation ......................................................................................................................................17 IV. Violation of the Right to Life as a Result of Excessive and Disproportionate Use of Public Force ........................................................................................18 V. The Mandate of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission .............................................19 CHAPTER II THE ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND ARBITRARY DETENTION ISSUE ...................................................................................................21 1. The Role of the Government ........................................................................................................................22 2. The Role of the Advisory Council on Human Rights ..........................................................23 3. The Role of Parliament in uncovering Facts about Civil Disturbances ...........25 4. The Role of Civil Society ..................................................................................................................................26 CHAPTER III METHODS OF WORK AND MEANS OF EN QUIRY AND INVESTIGATION ......................................................................................................31 3 1. The Data Colletion Phase ................................................................................................................................32 2. The Preliminary Analysis Phase ...............................................................................................................33 3. Reception of Communications from Families and Former Victims .....................34 4. Gathering Data from Other Sources ...................................................................................................34 5. Compiling a File and a Reference Card for Each Case of Unknown Fate ....34 6. Handing over Lists of Cases of Unknown Fate to the Public Authorities ......34 7. Investigating the Disappearances and Deaths that Occurred shortly after Independence ............................................................................................................................35 8. Investigating Cases of Victims who Died in Illegal Detention Centres .............35 8.1. The Preparatory Steps ................................................................................................................................36 8.2. Receiving the Communications of Families, Former Victims and Local Residents ...........................................................................................36 8.3. Receiving Communications from Former or Present Public Officials ............36 8.4. Perusing the Registers and Documents Kept by the Authorities ..........................37 8.5. Proceeding to the Locus in quo and Establishing the Places of Burial ...........37 8.6. Deliberating and Forming an Opinion ........................................................................................37 9. Investigations into Deaths Occurring during Civil Disturbances as a Result of the Disproportionate Use of Public Force ............37 9.1. The 1965 Disturbances in Casablanca.........................................................................................38 9.2. The 1981 Disturbances in Casablanca.........................................................................................38 9.3. The 1984 Disturbances in Cities in the North.......................................................................39 9.4. The 1990 Disturbances in Fez ............................................................................................................39 10. Investigations into Special Cases and Issues.............................................................................40 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO PERSONS WHOSE FATE IS UNKNOWN AND OTHER CASES ...................................41 I. Disappearances and Deaths during the First Years of Independence .........................42 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................42 2. Detention Centres ....................................................................................................................................................44 4 Final Report 5 2.1. The Dar Bricha Centre ..............................................................................................................................44 2.2. The Ghafsai Centre ......................................................................................................................................45 2.3. The Seventh Arrondissement (Septième) .................................................................................45 2.4. The Bouizakaren Centre ..........................................................................................................................46 2.5. The Tafnidilt Centre ....................................................................................................................................46 II. Deaths during Various Disturbances or in Special Circumstances .............................47 1. Veterans of Resistance and Liberation Army Oppositionist Group (the Moulay Chafii Case) ..............................................................................................................47 1.1. Findings .................................................................................................................................................................47 1.2. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................48 2. The “Sheikh Al-Arab Group” .....................................................................................................................49 2.1. Findings .................................................................................................................................................................49 2.2. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................50 III. Deaths in Illegal and Arbitrary Detention Centres ...................................................................52 1. Tazmamart Centre .................................................................................................................................................52 1.1. Findings .................................................................................................................................................................52 1.2. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................54 2. The Tagounite Centre ..........................................................................................................................................55 2.1. Findings .................................................................................................................................................................55 2.2. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................56 3. Agdez Centre ................................................................................................................................................................58