The government refuses to comment on the absence of Mustapha Ramid

The Minister of State for Human Rights Mustapha Ramid has missed once again a government meeting, after he couldn’t make it to four government councils.

In fact, the Justice and Development party politician and human rights activist’s absence is a way of protesting against a decision taken by the Government Secretary General Mohamed El Hajoui. The latter has, reportedly, refused to authorize the publishing of the updated version of the «National Plan for Democracy and Human Rights» (PANDDH) (2018-2021) in the Official Bulletin.

For the record, the first draft of PANDDH was concluded in 2010 after two years of work and discussions. The national symposium held on April 25th and 26th in 2008 paved the way for the launching of this plan. On December the 3rd, 2008, the planning process was started and a committee composed of 41 members was created.

Mustapha El Khalfi’s silence

On Thursday, October the 25th, during a weekly press briefing, the Government Spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi was asked by reporters to clarify the reasons behind Ramid’s repeated absence.

The minister avoided answering reporters’ questions. «As long as the minister in question refuses to publicly comment on the topic, I have only one answer and will not add on it», said El Khalfi adding that Prime Minister Saddeddine El Othmani is determined to implement the «plan in question».

Updating the PANDDH was officially launched on December the 13th, 2017 in Rabat during a ceremony attended by El Othamni, the Secretary General of the National Human Rights Council and several ambassadors from foreign countries.

«Morocco is now among the countries that have adopted a national action plan on democracy and human rights. The country now occupies the 39th place in the field», Mustapha Ramid said in a speech.

The implementation of the Plan requires a mechanism to monitor its implementation. The PANDDH is composed of four axes : democracy and governance, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, the promotion and protection of rights, an institutional and legal framework.

On the 3rd of July 2018 in the House of Representatives, Saad-Eddine El Othmani said he was determined to carry out with the implementation of the Plan. Nevertheless, without publishing it in the Official Bulletin, PANDDH cannot be implemented.