Amina Bouayach emphasizes the need for bold action in transitional justice
Amina Bouayach, the President of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council and the Chair of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, recently addressed a regional human rights conference in Beirut, focusing on the significance of transitional justice. Highlighting Morocco's unique experience, Bouayach articulated the essential role of transitional justice in rekindling trust between the state and its citizens, establishing a foundation for a future grounded in dignity and human rights.
In her opening remarks, Bouayach characterized transitional justice not merely as a retrospective endeavor but as a proactive approach to learning from the past to construct a more promising future. She emphasized that it embodies a collective vision encompassing truth, justice, reparations, and reconciliation. Bouayach portrayed Morocco's journey as a deliberate national choice to confront a painful history marked by human rights violations.
Addressing the plight of victims, especially those subjected to torture and severe abuses, she called for courageous, transparent, and independent initiatives throughout the region aimed at rehabilitating victims and ensuring justice.
Bouayach reaffirmed Morocco's commitment to a vision of zero tolerance for torture, asserting that this goal is both legitimate and attainable, and that the country seeks to promote this vision within a broader regional and African framework.
Morocco's transitional justice journey commenced in 2004 with the establishment of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER), a pioneering initiative in the Arab world. This undertaking arose from extensive civil society efforts aimed at recognizing and delivering justice to victims of state violence. Bouayach noted that the initiative was distinctly Moroccan, driven by local actors and enhanced through public participation, dialogue, and political will. Victims were granted platforms to share their stories publicly, with their testimonies documented and disseminated without censorship.
The IER's final report led to significant legal and institutional reforms, including constitutional amendments, new anti-torture laws, and the creation of preventive mechanisms like the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. Bouayach pointed out that these developments signify a shift towards not only addressing past transgressions but also preventing new violations.
Victims received various forms of support, including financial compensation, psychological care, medical treatment, and social reintegration assistance, alongside retirement benefits for affected civil servants. Notably, special provisions were made to ensure that women's experiences were acknowledged and addressed equitably.
Throughout her address, Bouayach stressed that Morocco's approach to transitional justice was not about replicating external models or applying pre-existing solutions. Instead, it was a methodical effort to create a unique pathway tailored to national realities and needs. The initiative reflected a comprehensive design intertwining truth-seeking, reparations, and institutional reform, aimed at forging a new, fair social contract.
Concluding her remarks, Bouayach summarized the critical lessons from Morocco's journey, asserting that it serves as a compelling model for integrating truth, justice, and reform as mechanisms for breaking away from the past to foster lasting change. She reaffirmed the National Human Rights Council's commitment to sharing insights and practices from this experience with partners across the globe.
