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International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances

The International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) -a global network of 40 associations of families of disappeared and human rights organisations calls on Morocco to demonstrate its commitment to international law by ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

In a March 10 letter to the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taïb Fassi-Fihri, the ICAED welcomes the positive attitude of the Moroccan government towards the Convention. The ICAED also congratulated the Moroccan government as one of the first countries to sign the Convention, during the signing ceremony on February 6, 2007 in Paris.

"We are pleased to take notice of repeated confirmation of Moroccan government officials, that there are no further obstacles towards ratification" said Dave Hardy, coordinator of the ICAED. "The ICAED would therefore welcome a specific date for the ratification of the Convention by Morocco."

The letter of the ICAED is part of the global campaign in the month March for ratification of the Convention by Morocco.

So far 81 countries have signed the Convention and 10 countries have ratified. The Convention will enter into force after 20 ratifications. By taking action without hesitation, Morocco would be distinguished among the first countries to ratify the Convention and would therefore be instrumental to its entry into force.

For more information about the campaign of ICAED and the Convention on enforced disappearances, see www.icaed.org

The International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) gathers organisations of families of disappeared and NGO's that work in a non-violent manner against the practice of enforced disappearances at the local, national and international level. The principal objective of ICAED is an early ratification and effective implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

Aim for human rights - Netherlands, Amnesty International, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Civil Initiative We Remember Foundation - Belarus, Collectif des Familles de Disparus en Algérie (CFDA) - Algeria, Euro-Med Federation Against Enforced Disappearances (FEMED), Fédération Internationale des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), Fédération Internationale de l'ACAT (FIACAT), Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones de Familiares de Detenidos-Desaparecidos (FEDEFAM) Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Russian Justice Initiative - Russia, Liga Guatemalteca de Higiene Mental - Guatemala, TRIAL (Track Impunity Always - association suisse contre l'impunité) - Switzerland, Breaking the Walls of Silence - Namibia, AFAPREDESA - Western Sahara, Asociacíon Derechos Humanos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales en Guatemala (DESCGUA) - Guatemala, Disarmament and Non-Violence - Georgia, Lawyers for Human Rights- South Africa, National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) - Namibia, Colegio de Abogados - Peru, Association of Family Members of Disappeared - Sri Lanka, Asociación Pro-Búsqueda de Niñas y Niños Desaparecidos de El Salvador - El Salvador, Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos - Peru, Asociacion de Detenidos-Desaparecidos, Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales y Torturados de Huancayo-Junin-Peru - Peru, Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) - Philippines, Organisation Marocaine Des Droits HUMAINS - Morocco, Al-Ata'a for Human Rights Support - Iraq, Qatari Panituri - Peru, Institute for Community Policing - Nigeria, Association de Parents et Amis de Disparus au Maroc - Morocco, Comité de coordination des Familiies des Disparus au Maroc, Morocco, Asociacion por la recuperacion de la memoria historica de Catalunya (ARMHC - Spain, Truth Now - Cyprus, Comision de Derechos Humanos - Peru, Social Justice for Equality - Nepal, Centro de documentacion en derechos humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo S.J"- Ecuador, Zimbabwe Peace Project - Zimbabwe