Amendment No. 2 | Doc. 13230 | 24 June 2013

Evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Morocco

Signatories: Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Lennart AXELSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Carina HÄGG, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Martin HENRIKSEN, Denmark, EDG ; Mr Michael Aastrup JENSEN, Denmark, ALDE ; Ms Lone LOKLINDT, Denmark, ALDE ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Nikolaj VILLUMSEN, Denmark, UEL

Origin - 2013 - Third part-session

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 8.3, insert the following paragraph:

"expresses grave concern that the Penal Code criminalises consensual sexual relations between persons of the same sex, with penalties of between six months and three years in prison, notes that there are recent reports of persons being imprisoned under this legislation, and calls on the Moroccan Parliament to initiate its repeal at the earliest opportunity;"

Explanatory note

Article 489 of the Penal Code of November 26, 1962 provides:

"Any person who commits lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex shall be punished with a term of imprisonment of between six months and three years and a fine of 120 to 1,000 dirhams, unless the facts of the case constitute aggraving circumstances."

There are press reports that in May 2013 four men were sentenced to prison terms for same-sex sexual relations.