CNDH PRESIDENT BRIEFED A SLOVENIAN DELEGATION ON THE MANDATE OF THE COUNCIL AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COUNTRY IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS

President of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) Idriss El Yazami met with a Slovenian delegation, chaired by Mr. Pavel Gantar, President of the Slovenian National Assembly, on 15 March 2011, at the headquarters of the Council.

Mr. El Yazami informed the delegation of the creation of the National Human Rights Council, instead of the Advisory Council on Human Rights. He indicated that the 20 years-old Advisory Council made important achievements in the field of human rights.

The National Council monitors and follows up the situation of human rights at the national and regional levels. It has regional mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights. It monitors all human rights violations, irrespective of their nature and origin. It may investigate and inquire about any human rights violation and prepare relevant reports, Mr. El Yazami said.

He added that the Council looks into any human rights violation upon its own initiative or upon receiving complaints from the persons concerned. It can summon any person to present his/her testimony in this regard, indicating that It can intervene on an urgent basis whenever there is a source of tension that could lead to any individual or collective rights violation. It studies the harmonization of the national laws and regulations with the international human rights conventions and the International Humanitarian Rights.

Mr. El Yazami, also member of the Advisory Committee for the Revision of the Constitution, didn’t fail to brief the delegation on the made reforms in the different fields and the announced constitutional reform which can help strengthen the achievements of the Kingdom. In this regard, the President of the National Council indicated that enshrining in the Constitution the rich, variegated and unified character of the Moroccan identity, consolidating the rule of law and the institution-based State, expanding the scope of collective and individual freedoms and guaranteeing their practice, elevating the judiciary to the status of an independent power, constitutionalizing of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations, strengthening the principle of separation of powers, etc. are among the priorities of this new comprehensive reform.

For his part, Mr. Pavel Gantar praised this dynamic process. The announced reforms can strengthen the Moroccan achievements, he said, adding that they can make of Morocco an example to follow in the field of democracy and human rights for other countries in the region. He confirmed the commitment of his country to support these reforms, calling for more cooperation between Slovenia and Morocco and for the strengthening of EU-Morocco partnership.

Mr. Gantar; who was accompanied by several Slovenian deputies and officials, briefed Mr. El Yazami on the human rights situation in Slovenia and the mandate of the Slovenian mediator.

At the end of this meeting, Mr. El Yazami reiterated that the Equity and Reconciliation Commission played a major role in the settlement of the past grave human rights violations. He indicated that Morocco adopted a peaceful experience in the field of transitional justice. We have achieved many things, but we still need to make efforts to overcome the challenges, he concluded.