Minister says no political prisoners in Morocco

The Moroccan justice minister, Mostafa Ramid has denied the presence of political prisoners in the country's prisons, saying: "The 65,000 prisoners in the Kingdom are general prisoners. A human rights report on Wednesday stated that there were "more than 645 human rights abuse case in Morocco". In a television interview Ramid said in "Howar el-Saa" (Today's Dialogue) on the Lebanese-based el-Mayadin channel that "some prisoners were arrested on terrorism charges, we will try reveal as much as we can about the case, distinguishing between the one who insist on his extremist beliefs and others," while failing to mention the arrest of several members of the February 20 movement who were detained last month. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights released a report on abuse faced by the youth activists over an entire year. The same report cited 645 abuse cases, varying between psychological and physical abuse to the activists and their supporters, as well as allegations of beating, kicking, breaking bones, insults, verbal abuse and humiliation. They also recorded allegations of gangs and thugs being to practice suppression, being imprisoned on made-up charges, and breaking up peaceful gatherings by force. The powerful human rights association mentioned that there was a "striking contrast between the state's speech about justice reform and the reality of daily abuse on citizens who have the simple right to a fair, free trial".