The permanent representative of Morocco to the United Nations, in Geneva, was elected, Wednesday January 10, president of the Human Rights Council, responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of these rights in the world, at the end of a rare secret ballot. Ambassador Omar Zniber obtained 30 votes from the 47 members of the Council against 17 for the other candidate for this post, the South African ambassador, Mxolisi Nkosi.
The African group, whose turn this year was to present the candidate for the presidency of the Human Rights Council, had not managed to agree on a single name. After being elected, Omar Zniber told the Council he wanted to work to “meet the requirements of our common work which is so important and so fundamental: that of the promotion, respect and guarantee of human rights as universally recognized”, according to the Council press release. In Rabat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed “the election of the Kingdom, thanks to the accession of a large number of countries from all regions of the world, and despite the mobilization of Algeria and South Africa to counter it”.
The Morocco “sees a strong signal from the international community in favor of its constructive approach, and its unifying leadership on key subjects such as those of interreligious dialogue, tolerance and the fight against racial hatred, the right to a healthy and sustainability, migrant rights and the impact of new technologies »he added.
Repression and discrimination
Moroccan and international NGOs regularly denounce the repression which targets journalists and human rights activists in Morocco, in particular through the use of trials for common law crimes, particularly sexual crimes, or through digital surveillance.
Rabat is notably accused of having used the Pegasus spyware to hack the phones of journalists, activists or politicians, Moroccan and foreign. Moroccan authorities have refuted accusations described as“unfair and fanciful”. NGOs also criticize persistent discrimination against women and minorities.
Omar Zniber, a career diplomat, has been Morocco’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva since 2018.