Morocco’s justice minister announced Sunday that the country plans to vote for the first time in favor of a United Nations resolution to impose a moratorium on the death penalty.
The vote, scheduled for Dec. 15 during the U.N. General Assembly, marks a shift in Morocco’s approach after two decades of abstaining from similar resolutions. Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi said the decision reflects the country’s progressive human rights agenda.
“Our ambassador, under the guidance of the Foreign Minister, will vote in favor of this resolution to support the U.N.’s position on halting the death penalty,” Ouahbi told parliament. He called the move “a significant and positive step” and urged lawmakers to support it.
Since 1993, Morocco has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions, with no death sentences carried out. Ouahbi noted that Morocco has been working to limit the punishment, converting death sentences for 161 inmates to life imprisonment since 2020. Currently, 88 people remain on death row in Morocco, including one woman.
While courts may continue issuing death sentences, voting for the moratorium would commit Morocco to not carrying out executions for at least two years, Ouahbi said. He expressed hope that this would lead to the eventual abolition of the death penalty when the penal code is revised.
Lawmakers across political lines praised the move. Opposition member Fatima Zahra said it represents “a victory for the right to life” and aligns with recommendations from Morocco’s Equity and Reconciliation Commission, a body that advocates for human rights reforms.
The vote also reflects Morocco’s growing commitment to international human rights standards, Ouahbi said, echoing the broader constitutional and legal reforms enacted under King Mohammed VI.
Globally, 170 out of 193 U.N. member states have abolished the death penalty or imposed moratoriums on its use. The upcoming vote is expected to garner significant international attention.
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