On this International Day Against Drugs we ask your attention for the fate of the prominent Moroccan human rights activist Chakib El Khayari.

Chakib El Khayari has been arrested in Casablanca on 18 February 2009. As chairman of the Human Rights Association of the Rif, he had made critical declarations in the press concerning the level of corruption in the drug control agencies of the Moroccan state. These agencies turn a blind eye to the illicit export of hash from Morocco, and carry out a repressive policy with regards to the farmers who grow cannabis. Both policies undermine the development of the region in various ways.

It is wrong to equal coca leaves to cocaine. Therefore, proposing a change in the international legislation on coca is a responsible approach. Also the European Parliament has called upon the European Commission to look into ways in which we can allow the commercialisation of traditional coca products. The European Union is currently financing a study which aims to establish the exact amount of coca leaves that is needed for the internal market (for leaves, tea, cookies, shampoo etc.), there is no reason not to open such market in Europe as well.

On March 12, the second day of the High Level Meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime met with NGO delegates. The meeting was initiated and organized by the Vienna NGO Committee, the same organization responsible for the Beyond 2008 global NGO forum in July 2008 (watch our video!).

First the organizers did not allow any cameras in the room but after they discovered that the UNODC also planned to record the event they decided to let us film as well. However, the press was excluded. We found this step quite unnecessary if we consider that the meeting was called “an open dialouge”: why is it closed to the media than? It’s not surprising that one day prior to this meeting NGO delegates were also excluded from the official UNODC press conference.

Costa vs. Polak - where is the discussion paper?

Moroccan authorities are detaining Chakib el-Khayari for his human rights and whistle-blowing activities and should release him immediately, Human Rights Watch said today, after an on-the-ground investigation into the case. El-Khayari has been in detention for four weeks. The court has not yet formally charged him.