MOROCCO – National Council of Human Rights (CNDH) calls for abortion law reform following Hajar Raissouni case

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Nov 12, 2019

In a memorandum to the Government and Parliament of Morocco, the National Council of Human Rights (CNDH) is clearly in favour of changing certain provisions of the Moroccan Penal Code, in general making abortion legal on wider grounds but also changing Articles 449 to 452, which call for imprisonment for illegal abortion. The memorandum insists that the law take into account the “psychological and social security” of the woman, as well as the safety of her health. For the CNDH, these reasons justify the right to abortion in the first three months of pregnancy. They add: “A woman suffering from mental disorders has the right to have an abortion without the authorisation of the husband though, of course, under the control of the family judge”.

They also oppose the criminalisation of non-marital sex and call for the decriminalisation of consensual sexual relations between adults and reject the criminalisation of homosexuality. In short, the Council chaired by Fatima Bouayach recommends the deletion of Articles 489 to 493.