The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We work around the world both bilaterally, and through the EU, to raise the question of the death penalty and encourage debates around penal reform and alternatives to the death penalty.

The British Embassy in Rabat is supporting a project with the Centre for Capital Punishment Studies (CCPS) that aims to inform and enrich the debate about humane and effective penal alternatives to capital punishment.  CCPS works in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, the Consultative Council for Human Rights (CCDH) with support from other NGOs and local Government bodies.

On 5-7 October CCPS and the Ministry of Justice held the first Senior Management Training Course in Rabat. This was attended by over fifty senior practitioners, including judges, lawyers, police and prison administrators, with lively debates on issues such as human rights, international legal standards, and the rights of the victims of crime. A handbook will be produced to collate the papers presented and act as a resource for practitioners in the field of penal reform and justice.

Penal reform is not a one size fits all, and the project aims to facilitate and empower Moroccans to identify reforms that are appropriate for Morocco. Close co-operation with the Moroccan authorities and civil society is key and the CCPS will also involve a social survey to better understand perceptions towards the death penalty in Morocco. The project will also involve roundtables and working sessions with religious leaders, to ensure that the position of the death penalty within Islam is explored and discussed.