Moroccan Coalition against the Death Penalty (CMCPM)

Moroccan Coalition against the Death Penalty (CMCPM)
Introductory Note
The Moroccan Coalition against the Death Penalty (CMCPM) is made up of eleven national
human rights organisations: Moroccan Prison Observatory (Observatoire marocain des prisons,
i.e. OMP), Moroccan Human Rights Organisation (Organisation marocaine des droits humains,
i.e. OMDH), Moroccan Human Rights Association (Association marocaine des droits de
l’homme, i.e. AMDH), Moroccan Forum for Truth and Justice (Forum marocain pour la vérité et
justice, i.e. FMVJ), Amnesty Morocco (Amnesty Maroc), Centre for Human Rights (Centre des droits des gens, i.e. CDG), Morocco Bar Association (Association des barreaux d’avocats du
Maroc, i.e. ABAM), Moroccan Human Rights League (Ligue marocaine de défense des droits
de l’homme, i.e. LMDDH), Association Adala, Moroccan Human Rights Commission (Instance
marocaine des droits de l’homme, i.e. IMDH) and The Moroccan Association of the United
Nations (Association marocaine des Nations Unies).
Created in October 2003 in Casablanca, at the end of the International Death Penalty Seminar
initiated by the OMP, the Coalition is a national coordinating mechanism for human rights efforts
in Morocco intended to protect the right of life under all circumstances, and to lead Moroccan
authorities to adhere to the Second Optional Protocol related to the International Pact
concerning civil and political rights (2OP) and the ICC Statute (International Criminal Court).
Since its creation, the Coalition has taken numerous actions and initiatives in the domains of
advocacy, communications and awareness, including visits to death row at the Central Prison in
Kenitra.
CMCPM considers that the right to life is the essential core of all other inherent human rights
and is a sacred, inviolable right under all circumstances and conditions, regardless of legislation
or religion. The CMCPM also feels that capital punishment is a blatant violation of human
dignity and upholding it completely goes against the values and principals of human rights.
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Moroccan Coalition against the Death Penalty (CMCPM)
Convinced that capital punishment is not a deterrent, CMCPM believes that this punishment is
simply murdering in the name of the law, referring to the culture of revenge and retribution,
particularly since the International Criminal Court –which tries criminals of war and genocide –
does not implement the death penalty.
CMCPM is acting fast to strengthen and broaden the Moroccan abolitionist ranks, is striving to
make the abolition cause a primary concern on the public agenda and is trying to raise the level
of general awareness about the gravity of the death penalty regarding the construction of a
tolerant and forgiving society.
CMCPDM adopted a charter, rules of procedure and a plan of action for the next two years
during its last general assembly, held last April in Rabat with the slogan “For a constitutional
abolition of the death penalty.”
In addition to the call for the elimination of the death penalty from the penal code and from the
Code of Military Justice and for Morocco’s support of the Second Optional Protocol related to
the International Pact concerning civil and political rights and to the ICC, CMCPM also calls for:
an improvement in conditions for death row prisoners, the commutation of a death sentence to
an alternative sentence, the introduction of a penal reform based on international human rights
standards and on a fair and independent justice system. Moreover, CMCPM supports the cooperation and solidarity efforts within the universal
abolitionist movement as well as the UN resolutions aiming to establish a moratorium on
executions.
CMCPM has been a member of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty (WCADP) since
the beginning and contributes to its management by its involvement in the Steering Committee. It is also involved in the “Reinforcement and structuring of the Moroccan abolitionist movement”
project, which is led by the French organisation Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) in
partnership with the OMDH and in association with the CMCPM. 2/2