El Yazami calls for ongoing, innovative action to promote human rights in Morocco

The promotion of human rights in Morocco is part of a long process of democratization and many years of action, El Yazami told European MPs taking part in the 5th yearly meeting of the EU-Morocco parliamentary joint committee, adding that reforms undertaken in 2011 have reinforced this process.

Morocco is determined to move ahead with the achievements it has accomplished and continue with the ambitious large-scale projects in the field of human rights, he said.

He recalled the setting up in 2011 of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), the constitutionalization of the National Council for Human Rights, the broadening of prerogatives related to the Competition Council and the Anti-Corruption agency and the creation of the inter-ministerial delegation for human rights.

There are still some challenges linked to upholding human rights in Morocco that should be addressed, he said, giving the example of the pressing need to speed up the adoption of rules and regulations on human rights and set up a national body against torture.