The criminal chamber of first instance at the Marrakech Court of Appeal decided on Wednesday to postpone the case of gang rape committed by three individuals on a 13-year-old girl with a disability. This attack led to a pregnancy and childbirth on January 10 at Essalama hospital in Kelaa des Sraghna.
The court postponed the case until February 5 to allow the defense of the civil party, represented by the victim’s father and the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), to prepare its pleading.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights, which supports the victim, reaffirmed its request for a genetic expertise to establish the filiation of the child born from the rape, and demanded the toughening of the sentences against all those responsible for this serious violation of the rights of a child suffering from a mental disability.
Thus, the association also insisted on the need to provide the victim with appropriate medical care and psychological monitoring. She expressed her deep regret at seeing the victim’s family forced, under the influence of social humiliation and contempt, to move to escape the stigma.
In a press release, the association highlighted that its support for the victim and its intervention as a civil party are part of a desire to put an end to the impunity surrounding the crimes of rape and the atrocious violations of the rights of children, while working to establish justice and equity for victims, their families and society.
-Human rights defenders within the association also warned against any reform of the Family Code that does not take into account the fundamental principles of equality, compliance with international human rights standards, as well as than the best interests of the child.
As a reminder, the victim, residing in the Oulad Salama douar in the commune of Ouled Araad, suffered repetitive abuse from three individuals aged between 60 and 72 years old. This young child’s nightmare ended in a pregnancy and delivery by cesarean section at Salama hospital on Friday January 10. The shock of this reality is unbearable, not only for the victim, but also for the entire society which must face such barbaric acts.
It should be noted that AMDH had already demanded stronger legal action against the perpetrators of these crimes. In a letter addressed to the King’s Attorney General at the Marrakech Court of Appeal, the AMDH, El Attaouia/Tamellalet section, expressed its indignation at this odious act, describing this collective rape of a disabled girl as 13 years of absolute violation of children’s rights and acts of physical and psychological torture.
The AMDH insisted on the need for a thorough investigation to bring out the truth and establish responsibilities, also demanding that the judicial response be proportional to the scale of the horror of these facts.
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