During the seminar on “Incorporating and developing a professional code for forensic scientists” Morocco
From 9 to 11 October 2018, the IRZ together with the Moroccan Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Moroccan Institute of Legal and Forensic Medicine (SMML) organised a seminar on the “Principles of Criminal Law and the Code of Criminal Procedure” and “Incorporating and developing a professional code for forensic scientists”.
The event was part of a three-year project, which the IRZ is leading together with the Institute of Legal and Forensic Medicine at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The project is supported by the German Foreign Office as part of the Transformation partnerships with North Africa/the Middle East during the period from 2017 to 2019.
The aim of this project is to support independent legal and forensic medicine in Morocco by providing continued training and education for forensic scientists and to improve the cooperation between the justice system and legal and forensic medicine by providing continued training for judges and public prosecutors in legal and forensic medicine.
The three-day seminar was the first of its kind, to which only Moroccan forensic scientists were invited. The first part of the seminar gave the forensic scientists an insight into the provisions of the German Code of Criminal Procedure. The cooperation between the justice system and legal and forensic medicine was addressed here. In concrete terms, explanations were provided of the involvement of legal and forensic medicine in criminal proceedings and how potentially inaccurate reports are handled.
The second part of the event provided an introduction to the work of legal and forensic medicine, with a comparison between Morocco and Germany. The current situation and the various tasks involved in legal and forensic medicine were discussed in detail. Other issues concerning training, liability and insurance were also addressed. The topic of the “Production of reports”, which was discussed using the practical example of “sex crimes”, was of great importance.
The following experts were appointed by the IRZ to take part:
Zakaria Arousi, Head of criminal sanctions and judicial affairs at the Moroccan Public Prosecutor’s Office;
Andreas Stüve, Senior Public Prosecutor, Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor’s Office;
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Belhouss, Director of the Institute of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Morocco;
Prof. Dr. Michael Bohnert, Director of the Institute of Legal and Forensic Medicine, University of Würzburg;
Prof. Dr. Knut Albrecht, Director of the Brandenburg Regional Institute of Legal and Forensic Medicine.
It was clear that the topics discussed at this first event of its kind were met with great interest by the participants. They took an active part in discussions and made the most of the opportunity to ask plenty of questions.
A further consolidation event is due to take place at the end of November.
On 11 and 12 September 2018, the IRZ together with the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) organised a second seminar on the “Humane treatment of prisoners in Moroccan prisons” in Rabat, Morocco. The event was held as part of the “Cooperation with the Kingdom of Morocco on Prison Management” project, which is being supported by the German Foreign Office and împlemented by the IRZ between 2017 and 2019.
Two employees of the Berlin prison system provided the IRZ with expert support in the organisation of the seminar:
Stefan Tydecks, a psychologist in the admissions department at the Moabit penal institution, and
Michael Weise, Head of General Law Enforcement at the Tegel prison.
To welcome the participants, talks were given by the Deputy Director of the DGAPR, Hassan Hamina, and Antje Gade, Head of the Legal and Consulate department at the German Embassy in Morocco. Hassan Hamina described the legal foundations for the humane treatment of prisoners applicable in Morocco. The Moroccan speakers emphasised the importance of human rights as a fundamental component of the DGAPR’s strategy for safeguarding the humane treatment of prisoners. The Nelson Mandela Rules in the revised 2015 version are a fundamental part of this strategy.
The German experts also referred to the Nelson Mandela Rules as the basis of treatment in accordance with human rights. In Germany, these rules also govern the process for dealing with groups of prisoners, which present a particular challenge for prison staff.
The main role of the prison system in Germany is to prepare prisoners for their release by providing reintegration measures. During their training, prison officers should learn about the humane treatment of prisoners. Current examples of violations of human rights should be presented, allowing the officers to reflect on their own self-image, their expectations and their profession. The DGAPR training programmes also have the humane treatment of prisoners as their objective. In this respect, the training centre works with educational programmes on the basic principles of human rights.
The discussions following on from the presentations focussed primarily on the potential for prisoners to oppose enforcement plans and on their fundamental right to appeal.
With the help of these components of the project named above, the following objectives should be achieved:
a better understanding of breaches of the rules by prisoners and officers,
potential sanctions in prisons for enforcement officers,
better explanations for prisoners and their relatives of their rights and obligations and
closer cooperation with human rights institutions and organisations.
Participants and speakers at the seminar in Rabat Morocco
In close cooperation with the Moroccan General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), the IRZ organised a seminar on “Social and psychological support for prisoners” on 11 and 12 July 2018 in Rabat, Morocco. The seminar was held as part of the “Cooperation with the Kingdom of Morocco on Prison Management” project, which is being supported by the German Foreign Office and coordinated by the IRZ between 2017 and 2019.
The project allows better networking for prisoners and improved connections with their social environment and society, as well as the increased involvement of Moroccan civil society in providing social and psychological support for prisoners.
Two experts from the Berlin prison system supported the IRZ in carrying out the seminar:
Vera Schiepe, Group Leader at the Heidering penal institution, and
Catharina Troike-Yudha, a psychologist at the women’s penal institution in Berlin.
The Deputy Director of the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration in Morocco, Hassan Hamina, welcomed the participants to the event. He emphasised that reintegration and the maintenance of safety were the main priorities in prisons.
The Moroccan experts pointed out that social, psychological and cognitive care is an important factor in the reintegration of prisoners. They use international standards for diagnosing and classifying prisoners. When preparing prisoners for release, psychologists therefore work in close cooperation with social workers in Moroccan prisons. As well as informing prisoners about their rights and obligations, they are also responsible for the reintegration of prisoners. Working alongside non-governmental organisations, they develop measures to raise awareness, as well as organising cultural and religious events.
The German experts, Vera Schiepe and Catharina Troike-Yudha, stressed in their lectures that the protection of the general public and the reintegration of prisoners are objectives of the prison system. In open prisons, prisoners should be as involved as possible in society. Social workers are also superior to enforcement officers when it comes to the care of prisoners and are therefore a key point of contact. With the involvement of external staff, psychotherapeutic treatment is provided in closed and open prisons in Germany and is frequently continued after the prisoner’s release.
During the discussions, the Moroccan participants pointed out the important role played by diagnostic procedures in the identification of prisoners at risk. Another subject that frequently came up in discussion was the care of employees in prisons.
The seminar was met with great interest. A second seminar on the same topic is due to take place in November 2018.
