King Mohammed VI has praised Morocco’s transitional justice as a unique and pioneering experience that has marked a significant turning point in the country’s political landscape in a message addressed to participants of the “International Symposium on Transitional Justice” in Rabat.
The King stressed that this internationally acclaimed model, has played a leading role in introducing the concept of transitional justice within the Arab and African contexts, promoting it across many countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
“In light of this experience, which has been widely commended internationally, Morocco played a pioneering role by introducing the concept of transitional justice in the Arab and African contexts and spreading it throughout many countries in the Middle East and North Africa,” Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) quoted.
The Moroccan model has significantly contributed to the development of transitional justice, pushing its concept and practices toward new horizons, both regionally and internationally, the Sovereign added in his message, which was read by Amina Bouayach, President of the National Human Rights Council.
The King recalled that Morocco’s adopted model of transitional justice was built on several considerations, including historical, geographical, and territorial aspects that are specific to Moroccan identity.
The primary goal of this model is to “focus on all victims, from all backgrounds and beliefs, and to examine all human rights violations that occurred from the first years of Independence until the establishment of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission,” the King explained.
This action allowed Morocco to identify and analyze each type of violation the country experienced, regardless of its nature or scale. Investigations, fieldwork, and public hearings were held in cities and villages to collect testimonies necessary to establish the truth and repair individual and collective harms, the King recalled.
“Undertaken with a gender-sensitive approach, this effort aimed ultimately at reconciling the Moroccan people with their past,” King Mohammed VI said.
One of the most distinctive features of Morocco’s transitional justice experience, he added, was the involvement of all sectors of civil society throughout the process, from conception to completion.
“Indeed, with the decision to implement transitional justice, public space was opened for societal debates on various reforms and fundamental issues of national public interest,” the King emphasized, noting that through continuous initiatives promoting transitional justice, there was a strong collective awareness about the fight against human rights violations.
This experience, he concluded, has drawn valuable lessons, reaffirming the need for continued consolidation of the rule of law to ensure that rights and freedoms are respected and protected, with their responsible and engaged exercise balanced by the fulfillment of obligations.