The official visit to Morocco by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, has been postponed. The visit, which was scheduled to take place from 2 to 12 September 2024, was postponed at the request of the Government of Morocco.
According to a statement from the UN Human Rights Office, the visit was intended to cover Rabat and Laayoune, a major city in the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The purpose was to assess the safeguards and conditions of detention in the country.
The Moroccan government requested the postponement to allow more time for preparation. The UN statement indicated that new dates for the visit would be discussed and agreed upon in due course. The Special Rapporteur's mandate includes conducting country visits to examine the situation of torture and ill-treatment.
Dr. Edwards, an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, has expressed her intention to undertake the visit once new dates are finalized. The postponement highlights the often-sensitive nature of such human rights assessments.
