Executive Committee of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
An imperative duty to act
The Executive Committee (EC) of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, which met in Casablanca in Morocco from 18 to 20 April 2008, discussed several issues that require an urgent action from political authorities and civil societies:
ü Torture, which is used by security forces of numerous countries of the region under the pretext of countering terrorism, has emerged in the public debate, notably in Egypt. The judgement adopted by the European Court of Human Rights on 28 February 2008 against the decision of the Italian government to deport a Tunisian back to Tunisia, on the ground that there was an established risk that he would be subject to torture or ill-treatment, marks an important progress in the fight against terrorism, but the ratification and concrete implementation of the convention against torture remains urgent and necessary.
ü The persistent isolation of the Gaza strip constitutes a grave violation of human rights. The international community must immediately intervene in order to put an end to this situation, which illustrates the absolute necessity of a political solution, in conformity with the relevant decisions of the United Nations.
ü The ambiguity surrounding the project of a Mediterranean Union is a source of concern and fear since at no time has the issue of human rights ever been mentionned by the promoters of the project.
ü The emergence of autonomous social movements in several countries of the South provides a ray of hope with regard to the capacity of civil society to free itself from the pressure of the regimes in place, while it underlines the worrying deterioration of the economic situation in those countries.
ü Both the repressive policy against migrants in the North and the quasi-total absence of acknowledgement of the dramatic dimension of South-South migratory flows have raised concern among participants of the EC. They firmly urge all state actors of the North and the South to respect the rights of migrants in a strict manner. The EMHRN underlines the absolute necessity to strengthen the intervention of civil societies in that area.
ü Finally, the EMHRN notes the aggravation of intimidation directed towards human rights defenders in the South. The EC demands the release of opponents and human rights defenders in Syria, notably the signatories of the Damascus declaration. It expresses its strong concern with regard to Mr. Aymen Nour’s health, who has been imprisoned in Egypt as a prisoner of conscience (délit d’opinion), and calls for his release. It also calls for end of harassment suffered by Arab judges, notably in Tunisia. The EC finally demands the cessation of criminal proceedings against journalists and the lifting of punitive measures against independent newspapers and media.
Before the EC met, a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a meeting with the president of the Consultative Council for Human Rights and with the president of the Council of the Moroccan community abroad, as well as with the Delegation of the European Commission in Rabat, were held. A reception in the honour of Mr Abdelaziz BENNANI, first president and founding member of the EMHRN, was organised in the presence of several public figures, actors of the civil society and human rights defenders in Morocco.
