Call for Education Rights for Inmates in Morocco
The Moroccan Human Rights Association, through its branch in Menara, Marrakech, has issued a compelling demand for the actualization of educational rights for inmates at the Al-Oudaya prison. This call comes in the wake of protests led by the "Generation Z" movement, alongside various social protests, urging that detainees be allowed to continue their education without hindrances. The organization emphasizes the importance of facilitating the smooth reintegration of released prisoners into educational institutions, advocating against any form of discrimination or exclusion.
In a formal appeal addressed to several key governmental figures, including the General Delegate for Prison Administration, the Minister Delegate for Human Rights, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council, the Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, the Director of the Regional Academy for Education and Training in Marrakech-Safi, and the Regional Director of the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports in Marrakech, the association outlined the necessity of providing adequate classroom capacity and streamlining the process for re-enrollment for those who have exhausted their schooling years due to incarceration.
Ensuring Compliance with International Human Rights Obligations
The association highlighted the importance of Morocco's adherence to its international human rights commitments, particularly regarding the right to education and reintegration. It posited that depriving inmates and released minors, as well as imprisoned university students, of their educational opportunities not only infringes on their individual rights but also undermines their chances for successful reintegration into society. This approach turns imprisonment into a tool for marginalization rather than rehabilitation.
Regrettably, the branch of the Moroccan Human Rights Association in Menara, Marrakech, has expressed deep concern over what it perceives as a “serious and unprecedented turning point” in the violation of educational rights both within and outside prison facilities. The organization fears that these measures may be driven by retaliatory motives, potentially transforming the decision into an additional punishment layered on top of the original sentence. Such a stance starkly contradicts the principles of reform and reintegration that should underpin Morocco's criminal policy and educational programs.
The association has reported receiving numerous complaints from families of inmates at the Al-Oudaya prison, particularly those detained following the "Generation Z" protests. These complaints reveal that their children, aged between 14 and 18 years, are being denied the opportunity to pursue their studies or are facing administrative obstacles preventing their enrollment in educational programs after serving their sentences. Some individuals, who have completed their prison terms and received promises of registration from the regional education authority in Marrakech, find themselves in a position of automatic repetition or have exhausted their schooling years, jeopardizing their legitimate right to education.
Moreover, the association noted that several imprisoned university students have been deprived of their right to continue their higher education. A specific case was highlighted of a student who passed the final university exams regularly but was marked absent in both the regular and retake sessions. This situation has been deemed a significant undermining of the educational process and a violation of their rights to higher education, adversely affecting their academic and professional futures.
As reported by thevoice.ma.
