To this day, dozens of activists affiliated with the 20 February movement are reported to be detained for peacefully expressing their views. Some have said they were tortured and ill-treated in custody.

The 20 February movement, which was formed in the wave of popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa region, demands greater respect for human rights and democracy, better economic conditions and an end to corruption.

“It is unfathomable that the authorities continue to violently suppress critics in blatant disregard of the new constitution adopted in July 2011, which guarantees the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful demonstration and association,” said Ann Harrison, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme.

“Ostensible reforms launched by the Moroccan authorities appear to be designed to shake off criticism from international partners while the authorities continue to suppress protests.”

One the members of the 20 February movement, Youssef Oubella, 24, was arrested at a demonstration in July 2012 in Casablanca. He told Amnesty International that police officers had beaten, insulted and tortured him during his arrest and in police custody. He said he had been forced to sign a statement declaring he had hit a police officer.

In September 2012, Oubella and five other members of the movement were sentenced to up to 10 months imprisonment for insults and violence against police officers. All said they had been tortured or otherwise ill-treated. They were released in January 2013.

Mohamed Messaoudi, a lawyer who has worked on many cases of activists linked to 20 February movement, said he had recently noticed increased state repression of the group’s demonstrations. He told Amnesty International that the authorities routinely charged those arrested with offences such as insults and/or violence against police officers, drug trafficking and participating in an unauthorized demonstration.

Mohamed Messaoudi said the ill-treatment of activists during and following their arrest is widespread, and that the torture Youssef Oubella described is far from being an isolated case.

Rap singer, Mouad Belghouat – another member of the 20 February movement – was arrested in March 2012 and charged with insulting the police after a video of a policeman wearing a donkey head was posted on the internet to one of his songs denouncing police corruption.

He was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, a sentence upheld by the Casablanca Court of Appeal in July 2012. He has been on hunger strike at least twice to protest against his detention conditions. He remains in Oukacha prison in Casablanca.

“So far, the Moroccan authorities have acted against – not for – the rights of people. Peaceful protests must be allowed to take place without harassment or repression, and in no event must protesters or others be arrested and detained arbitrarily. Any allegations of ill-treatment or intimidation must immediately be investigated and anyone found responsible brought to justice,” Said Harrison.

“It is also crucial that those arrested have immediate access to a lawyer, as they are at particular risk of torture and other ill-treatment in the first hours following their arrest.”

Following his visit to Morocco and Western Sahara in September 2012, Juan Méndez, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, stated that although the Code of Criminal Procedure guarantees access to a lawyer, “…that guarantee is neither fully respected in law nor in practice. The detainee only has access to a lawyer of his choice 24 hours after arrest, for 30 minutes in the presence of an investigator.”

Amnesty International is calling on Morocco to amend its laws to ensure that detainees have effective access to a lawyer of their choice from the outset of and throughout their detention, and that they can consult their lawyer in private.

“This transaction is part of the strategy the Ministry of Economy and Finance has adopted to actively reduce the exposure of the Treasury’s debt portfolio to financial risks like interest and exchange rate risks,” says Nizar Baraka, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Kingdom of Morocco. “Swapping the currency of the bond issuance from US dollar to Euro allows the Treasury to improve the currency allocation in the external debt portfolio with the aim of aligning its structure with the benchmark.”

Morocco has been working with the World Bank over the years to reduce the risk on its debt portfolio by aligning the interest rate and currency of its World Bank loan portfolio within prescribed targets.

“The World Bank has been witnessing a strong change in the culture of sovereign risk management, with many governments taking an active role in managing risks before they materialize, as opposed to reacting to shocks after they happen,” says Madelyn Antoncic, Vice-President and Treasurer of the World Bank.

This is the first transaction in which Morocco has partnered with the World Bank to manage its risk on liabilities owed to creditors other than the Bank by executing a currency swap under a Master Derivatives Agreement. Morocco was among the first countries to sign such an agreement with the World Bank based on the standard International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) Master Agreement, enabling it to access hedging instruments for managing financial risks.

“The World Bank’s ability to offer our member countries practical solutions to deal with financial issues is key,” says Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region. “This transaction helps Morocco shield its investment and development programs from unforeseen currency shocks.”

The World Bank regularly interacts with financial markets to manage the risks on its own balance sheet and on behalf of clients. The World Bank’s financial products can help clients fund their programs and access risk management products to reduce their vulnerability to financial, commodity price, and natural disaster risks.

The “Friends of Syria” conference where more than a hundred government delegates have gatrhered including Greece, US, Britain, France and Gulf countries in the Moroccan city of Marrakech as rebels intensify their push on Damascus.

A draft declaration at the meeting states that the members of the Friends of the Syrian People bloc were prepared to recognise the opposition coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people”. It also called on President Asad to “stand aside” in order to allow “a sustainable political transition” process.

France, Britain, Turkey and the Gulf states have already granted the oppositon formal recognition. The European Union, in a meeting on Monday, moved a step closer towards recognition. The EU currently recognises the coalition as “legitimate representatives of the aspirations of the Syrian people,” which falls short of recognising it outright as a potential successor government.

Greek foreign minister, Dimitris Avramopoulos has also traveled to Morocco to attend the conference according to an announcement by the ministry of foreign affairs. Mr. Avramopoulos in a recent statement reiterated Greece’s firm stance in favor of the pursuit of a political solution and the opening of a dialogue that will enable the Syrian people to decide on their future. He stressed the need for an immediate stop to the hostilities and the importance of protecting the rights and security of all the Syrian communities, making express reference to Syria’s Christian population and Greek Orthodox community, in light of the latter’s recent loss of their spiritual leader.

Meanwhile, a day before the conference in Morocco, Barack Obama, the US president, announced that his government would be recognising the coalition as Syria’s “legitimate representative” mounting pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In an interview on ABC news Obama announced that, “We’ve made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population, that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime.”  It’s a big step,” Obama added.

His announcement stopped short of authorising the US to supply weapons to the opposition, however.

According to Al Jazeera, fighting has intensified in recent days, with rebels claiming they have taken over a large military base near the city of Aleppo, and both sides trading mortar and artillery fire in southern Damascus.

The “Friends of Syria” conference where more than a hundred government delegates are to attend including Greece, US, Britain, France and Gulf countries will meet in the Moroccan city of Marrakech as rebels intensify their push on Damascus.

A draft declaration at the meeting states that the members of the Friends of the Syrian People bloc were prepared to recognise the opposition coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people”. It also called on President Asad to “stand aside” in order to allow “a sustainable political transition” process.

France, Britain, Turkey and the Gulf states have already granted the oppositon formal recognition. The European Union, in a meeting on Monday, moved a step closer towards recognition. The EU currently recognises the coalition as “legitimate representatives of the aspirations of the Syrian people,” which falls short of recognising it outright as a potential successor government.

Greek foreign minister, Dimitris Avramopoulos is also set to attend the conference according to an announcement by the ministry of foreign affairs. Mr. Avramopoulos in a recent statement reiterated Greece’s firm stance in favor of the pursuit of a political solution and the opening of a dialogue that will enable the Syrian people to decide on their future. He stressed the need for an immediate stop to the hostilities and the importance of protecting the rights and security of all the Syrian communities, making express reference to Syria’s Christian population and Greek Orthodox community, in light of the latter’s recent loss of their spiritual leader.

Meanwhile, a day before the conference in Morocco, Barack Obama, the US president, announced that his government would be recognising the coalition as Syria’s “legitimate representative” mounting pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In an interview on ABC news Obama announced that, “We’ve made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population, that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime.”

It’s a big step,” Obama added.

His announcement stopped short of authorising the US to supply weapons to the opposition, however.

“However, I received credible testimonies of undue physical and mental pressure on detainees in the course of interrogations. These events happen frequently enough to deserve attention and efforts to eradicate them,” said the expert, who wrapped up an eight-day mission to the country on Saturday.

Méndez noted that, while the practice of cruel treatment persists in ordinary criminal cases, treatment amounting to torture is frequently linked to highly charged events such as large demonstrations, a perceived threat to national security or terrorism.

“At those times a corresponding increase in acts of torture and ill-treatment during the detention and arrest process can be detected,” he said.

The expert found that prosecutors and investigative judges dismiss complaints of torture or fail to investigate such allegations. “The complaint system regarding allegations of torture and ill-treatment and investigation, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, with the exception of a very few cases, seems to be in law only,” he said. “This gap between law and practice must be closed.”

He acknowledged the difficult situation for the authorities regarding the flow of undocumented migrants, particularly in the north of the country. At the same time, he voiced concerns about the increase of reported violence of security forces against this particularly vulnerable group.

“Severe beatings, sexual violence, and other forms of ill-treatment appear to be on the rise,” Méndez said. “I urge the authorities to take all necessary measures to prevent further violence and to investigate reports of violence against sub-Saharan migrants.”

During his mission, the expert met with authorities, the judiciary, civil society, the national human rights institution, UN agencies, as well as with victims and their families, in Rabat, Salé, Skhirat-Témara and Casablanca.

The mission also included a two-day visit to Laâyoune, Western Sahara, where he was “overwhelmed” with the vast number of requests to meet and the hundreds of cases received prior and during his visit.

“I was regrettably only able to meet with a sample of alleged victims and representatives of civil society but I will examine each submission in detail so that all information that falls within the scope of my mandate is considered.”

Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes.

Méndez will prepare a mission report with his observations and recommendations to be presented at a forthcoming session of the Council, which is based in Geneva.

The IMF approved a $6.2 billion precautionary line of credit for Morocco over two years, which it said the government would treat as “insurance” in case economic conditions deteriorate and it faced sudden financing needs, according to Reuters.

“The Moroccan authorities have stated that they… do not intend to draw on the line, unless Morocco experiences actual balance of payments needs from a deterioration of external conditions,” the IMF said in a statement.

The IMF board also approved a $2 billion loan to Jordan, announced last month.

Jordan faced a series of exogenous shocks, beginning in 2011. Repeated damage of the Arab Gas Pipeline prompted an increase in imports of expensive fuel products for electricity generation. At the same time, regional tensions adversely affected tourism, remittances, and foreign direct investment. As a result, the current account deficit widened and growth slowed. The social impact of these shocks was contained because the authorities accommodated it by increasing subsidies and wages, financed by grants.

”Jordan is facing external and fiscal challenges stemming largely from exogenous shocks to its energy sector. These shocks have put pressure on the external accounts and increased the deficits of the central government and the public electricity company.

Separately, Morocco has been struggling with drought and the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone, which is Morocco’s biggest trade partner.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Morocco’s economic policies have contributed to strong growth, low inflation and a resilient banking sector. But the country has been hard hit by a decline in trade from the euro zone.

“High oil prices have contributed to a build-up of fiscal and external pressures. “The authorities have already taken action to address these vulnerabilities, and are committed to maintaining sound policies,”

 Legarde said.

Jordan is the first Arab country to formally request assistance from the IMF since the Arab Spring.

Inhabitants of urban and peri-urban areas relied on contaminated water from shallow wells, water providers who charge high unit prices, or standpipes which required mostly women or children to queue for hours. Most households used cesspits or poorly designed septic tanks, risking further groundwater contamination, while the poorest people often had no form of sanitation at all. These deficiencies had serious and direct impacts on people’s health, their ability to engage in economic activities, and children’s school attendance. These problems also harmed the finances of water utilities, which generally attain very low cost recovery from public standpipes.

In 2005, the Government of Morocco and water utility operators in three cities requested a grant from the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) to pilot the introduction of performance-based subsidies to encourage service expansion using an innovative output-based aid (OBA) approach.

The outputs for which subsidies were disbursed were simultaneous network connections to water supply and sewerage services for individual households, or in the case of Meknes, connection to either service. The subsidy was operator- and service-specific and paid in local currency in two steps: 60 percent upon certification by an Independent Technical Reviewer (ITR) of a working water and sewerage connection to an eligible household; and 40 percent upon verification by the ITR of at least six months of sustained service.

The OBA approach helped refocus attention on household demand, which led to increased accountability, strengthened partnerships between local authorities and operators, and made monitoring of service delivery a priority.

The pilot provided subsidized access to water supply to 10,504 households and sanitation services to 9,036 households, hence benefitting more than 52,500 people. The programme contributed to improve women and children’s living conditions as they were/are the major water provider/manager in the family.

Households that were simultaneously connected to water supply and sanitation services through the pilot totaled 5,593 in Casablanca and 2,909 in Tangiers. In Meknes, 2,002 households acquired access to water supply services and 534 to sanitation service.

The pilot programme was funded through a US$7 million grant from the GPOBA – a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank. The total project cost was assessed at about US$24 million during preparation.

The built-in incentives of the OBA approach were specifically designed to overcome traditional obstacles to expanding services in informal neighborhoods, namely: inability to afford connection costs; complex technical and administrative obstacles to infrastructure development in poor unzoned areas; and reluctance of national and local governments to fund subsidy programs with no accountability or guarantee of results.

Speaking at the launch, Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said: “The future of Southern Mediterranean countries lies of course in the hands of their people and leaders. But the European Union is ready to lend its support to political, economic and social development. We have therefore moved to anchor our new partnerships in joint commitments to the values we all cherish: democracy, human rights, good governance, rule of law and social justice. Education is central to our efforts. In order to reach our objectives of a democratic and prosperous Southern Mediterranean, we need to concentrate on young people.”

The European Commission has significantly increased funding for the Southern Mediterranean through its international higher education programmes, Tempus and Erasmus Mundus. Tempus, which supports the modernisation of higher education, has received an additional € 12.5 million in 2012 and 2013, taking total spending to € 29 million a year. Erasmus Mundus, which promotes European higher education and intercultural cooperation through cooperation with non-EU countries, will allocate € 80 million in Southern and Eastern neighbouring countries in 2012-2013, more than double the amount initially foreseen.

The new policy dialogue covers Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Syria may be invited to join it at a future date.

The protest which were organised by trade unions accuses Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane of failing to deliver on the vows of social justice that brought him into power on November 2011.

Sunday’s rally, which is thought to be the largest opposition protest since a new government took office last November is esitmated between 15,000 and 20,000 people, according to Al Arabiya.

“The trade unions are united and the message to the Benkirane government is clear: he needs to change his strategy,” opposition Socialist MP Hassan Tariq told AFP as the crowd marched through the heart of Morocco’s largest city and its economic capital.

Union leaders have been appealing to the government for talks on improving salaries and social conditions in a country where  accoridng to a new report from the World Bank finds that almost half of all Moroccan youth between the ages of 15 and 29 are neither working, nor in school.

The ensuing November 2011 election saw the Justice and Development Party , a moderate Islamist party , win the most seats and head a coalition government. 

It had vowed to deal with the protest movement’s grievances and fight for social justice in a country hit by high unemployment and illiteracy rates.

But less than six months after it was sworn in, Benkirane is facing renewed discontent from protesters who see no change.

It foresees a public deficit at 5.0 per cent of gross domestic product this year, down from over 6.0 per cent last year as the previous government splurged on subsidies, notably on food, to defuse the growing protest movement, according to AlArabiya.

Nizar Baraka, the finance minister, has said the country’s economy would likely grow by around 3.0 per cent this year, less than the 4.2 per cent forecast in the budget because of the drought and the debt crisis in the eurozone, which is Morocco’s biggest trade partner, AFP reported.

The rapper Moaz Balghawat known as ‘The Spiteful’ (AL Haqed) who is imprisoned since last March with charges of “insulting an organized public authority” was had been arrested since the end of March 2012 for a rap song called “dogs of the state”.

“Arresting a singer for criticizing the police performance shows what does it cost to exercise the rights guaranteed by the Constitution in Morocco and the fact that the Moroccan regime proves day after day that it is against fundamental rights and freedoms, despite the constitutional amendments adopted in 2011 in the name of reforming and reducing the king’s powers,” ANHRI said.

On May 11, Casablanca First Instance Court sentenced him to a one year imprisonment with a fine of one thousand Dirhams, in addition to the publication of the judgment in three local newspapers, on charges of “insulting public employees” under and “insulting the institutions of the state”.

Balghawat admitted the ownership of the song but denied any connection to the background images of the clip posted on YouTube as one of the images is a mocked-up photo of a policeman with a donkey’s head. And although the lack of evidence that Balghawat is the clip owner, the court ignored his defenses, according to ANHRI.

Jurists and activists confirm that Al-Haqed’s arrest was for boldly and courageously criticizing the king and the ruling regime, as well for being a member of the opposing ‘February 20 Movement’ in Morocco. This movement is responsible for demonstrations and activities claiming freedoms in the country. Al-Haqed is considered the voice of the movement that gets a lot of attention and follow ups.