MOROCCO: RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND ISLAMISTS OPPOSE ABOLITION

King Mohamed VI of Morocco could easily abolish the death penalty by royal decree. But by keeping capital punishment on the statute books, the young King is yielding to official religious institutions and Islamists, says Brahim Ahensal of the Moroccan Human Rights Association. Ahensal says abolition will depend on the degree of engagement from human rights NGOs and progressive political forces. “We are in direct contact with citizens on a daily basis, explaining the importance of implementing global human rights and incorporating these into Moroccan laws. Our task is to show the tragedies and atrocities that result from the death penalty, especially when the justice system is not independent and the rule of law is absent.” He listed difficulties including the lack of money, the lack of help from the Moroccan media, ancient traditions and illiteracy. He added that official educational and media policies reinforce this rather than a culture of rational, critical questioning. “Official religious institutions and Islamist groups are in the forefront of resistance to death penalty abolition. Their extreme interpretation of religion justifies the retention of this barbaric punishment,” Ahensal explained.