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Parliamentary question - E-005020/2017Parliamentary question
E-005020/2017

VP/HR — Human rights violations in Morocco

Question for written answer E-005020-17
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Javier Couso Permuy (GUE/NGL)

The wave of protests in the Rif region, in the north of Morocco, that have been going on for eight months now have led to over one hundred Riffean activists being put in prison. They are part of a peaceful social movement, fighting for their rights, whereas the Moroccan government has chosen to respond to these protests with imprisonment and repression.

Morocco is violating human rights by repressing and imprisoning the activists. Morocco is violating human rights by occupying territory in the Sahara and restricting rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly, prosecuting journalists and dissipating protests with force.

Nevertheless, the EU has gone ahead with its trade agreements with Morocco and is also looking at ways to bypass the European Court of Justice ruling which excludes Western Sahara from its free trade agreement with Morocco.

Does this mean that the EU sees no problem in establishing agreements with countries that systematically and regularly violate human rights?