Morocco
(2004)
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion,
and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however,
there were some restrictions. The Constitution provides that Islam is
the official state religion; however, non-Muslim communities openly
practice their faith.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom
during the period covered by this report. The Government places certain
restrictions on Christian religious materials and proselytizing, and
several small religious minorities are tolerated with varying degrees
of official restrictions. The Government monitors the activities of
mosques and places other restrictions on Muslims and Islamic organizations
whose activities are deemed to have exceeded the bounds of religious
practice and become political in nature.
The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed
to religious freedom; however, converts to Christianity generally face
social ostracism.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government
as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.
Section I. Religious Demography
The country has a total land area of approximately 172,320 square miles,
and its population is 32,209,101. An estimated 99 percent of citizens
are Sunni Muslims. The Jewish community numbers approximately 5,000
persons and resides predominantly in the Casablanca and Rabat urban
areas, as well as some smaller cities throughout the country. The foreign
Christian community (Roman Catholic and Protestant) consists of 5,000
practicing members, although estimates of Christians residing in the
country at any particular time range up to 25,000, including Moroccan
citizens who have converted to Christianity. Most of the country's Christians
reside in the Casablanca and Rabat urban areas. The Baha'i community,
also located in Rabat and Casablanca, numbers 350 to 400 persons.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides that Islam is the official religion and designates
the King as "Commander of the Faithful" with the responsibility
of ensuring "respect for Islam." The Constitution also provides
for freedom of religion; however, the Government places certain restrictions
on Christian religious materials and proselytizing, and several small
religious minorities are tolerated with varying degrees of official
restrictions. The Government monitors the activities of mosques and
places other restrictions on Muslims and Islamic organizations whose
activities are deemed to have exceeded the bounds of religious practice
and become political in nature. Jewish and foreign Christian communities
openly practice their faiths. A small foreign Hindu community may perform
cremations and hold services. In the past, the Government reportedly
has forbidden Baha'is from meeting or participating in communal activities;
however, there were no reports that their activities were restricted
during the period covered by this report.
The following religious holidays are considered national holidays:
Eid al Adha, Islamic New Year, the Prophet Mohammed's Birthday, and
Eid al Fitr. Other religions observe religious holidays without interference
from government authorities.
In March, an English-speaking church group received nonprofit association
status as the "Protestant Church of Rabat." Other registered
churches and associations include the Evangelical, Catholic, Russian
Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, French Protestant, and Anglican churches.
While the Rabat Protestant Church and other minority religious groups
have been operating unfettered by government authorities since the 1970s,
registration allows the groups to make financial transactions and other
plans as private associations and legal entities. In 2002 the Shiite
organization Al Ghadir asked for official status, the first time for
a Shiite association. Authorities have not yet given a response.
The Government provides tax benefits, land and building grants, subsidies,
and customs exemptions for imports necessary for the observance of the
major religions.
The teaching of Islam in public schools is funded in the Government's
annual education budget, as are other curriculum subjects. The annual
budget also funds religious instruction in Jewish public schools. The
Government has funded several efforts to study the cultural, artistic,
literary, and scientific heritage of Jewish citizens, including creating
a chair for the study of comparative religions and the study of Latin
and Hebrew at the University of Rabat.
The Government continues to encourage tolerance, respect, and dialogue
among religions. In the past year, King Mohammed VI or the Minister
of Islamic Affairs has received the Archbishop of Athens, delegations
of American Christian and Jewish leaders, the Grand Rabbi of Jerusalem,
and the chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel. The country has the only Jewish
museum in an Arab nation.
The Government organizes the annual "Fez Festival of Sacred Music,"
which includes musicians from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist,
and Native American spiritual traditions. This year marked the tenth
anniversary of the festival. In the past, the Government organized numerous
symposia among local and international clergy, priests, rabbis, imams,
and other spiritual leaders to examine ways to promote religious tolerance
and interfaith dialogue. During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the
King hosts colloquia of Islamic religious scholars that, among other
issues, consider ways to encourage tolerance and mutual respect within
Islam and between Islam and other religions.
An interfaith service at the Catholic Cathedral in Rabat took place
in March to commemorate the victims of the March 11 terrorist attacks
in Madrid. Most senior government officials, including many ministers,
attended the event. The ceremony featured Muslim, Christian, and Jewish
religious speakers.
Restrictions on Religious Freedom
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs monitors Friday mosque sermons and
the Koranic schools to ensure the teaching of approved doctrine. At
times the authorities suppress the activities of Islamists but generally
tolerate activities limited to the propagation of Islam, education,
and charity. Security forces commonly close mosques to the public shortly
after Friday services to prevent use of the premises for unauthorized
political activity. The Government strictly controls authorization to
construct new mosques. Most mosques are constructed using private funds.
In April, King Mohammed VI in his capacity as chief religious authority
announced plans to restructure the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to ensure
the promotion of moderate Islam and guard against imported Islamic doctrines
and extremists preaching in mosques.
The Government bars the Islamic Justice and Charity Organization (JCO),
which does not recognize the King's spiritual authority, as a political
party and continued to block the publication of JCO newspapers and websites.
Any attempt to induce a Muslim to convert is illegal. According to
Article 220 of the Penal Code, any attempt to stop one or more persons
from the exercise of their religious beliefs or from attendance at religious
services is unlawful and may be punished by 3 to 6 months' imprisonment
and a fine of $10 to $50 (115 to 575 dirhams). The article applies the
same penalty to "anyone who employs incitements to shake the faith
of a Muslim or to convert him to another religion." Foreign missionaries
either limit their proselytizing to non-Muslims or conduct their work
quietly. The Government has cited the prohibition on conversion in the
penal code in most cases in which courts expelled foreign missionaries.
Citizens who convert to Christianity and other religions generally
face social ostracism, and a small number of converts have faced short
periods of questioning or detention by authorities for proselytizing
and have been denied issuance of passports. Voluntary conversion is
not a crime under the criminal or civil Codes; however, until 5 years
ago, the authorities had jailed some converts on the basis of references
to Islamic law. Nevertheless, Muslim citizens are allowed to study at
Christian and Jewish schools.
A small foreign Christian community operates churches, orphanages,
hospitals, and schools without any government restrictions. Missionaries
who refrain from proselytizing and conduct themselves in accordance
with societal expectations largely are left unhindered; however, those
whose activities become public face expulsion. In May authorities detained
and expelled seven foreign missionaries, including four Americans, for
distributing Christian materials in Marrakech's main square. Some missionaries
have been questioned by authorities or have not been granted a "temporary
residence permit" enabling them to remain in the country on a long-term
basis.
The Government permits the display and sale of Bibles in French, English,
and Spanish, but it confiscates Arabic-language Bibles and refuses licenses
for their importation and sale, despite the absence of any law banning
such books. Nevertheless, Arabic Bibles have been sold in local bookstores.
Since 1983, the small Baha'i community has been forbidden to meet or
participate in communal activities; however, there were no reports that
the Ministry of the Interior summoned Baha'is for questioning or denied
them passports, as had occurred in past years.
There are two sets of laws and courts--one for Jews and one for Muslims--pertaining
to marriage, inheritance, and family matters. The family law courts
are administered, depending on the law that applies, by rabbinical and
Islamic authorities who are court officials. Parliament authorizes any
changes to those laws. Under the new Family Law Code for Muslims, judges
will be retrained and new civil judges will be recruited. Rabbinical
authorities will continue to administer family courts for Jews. Non-Koranic
sections of Muslim law on personal status are applicable to non-Muslim
and non-Jewish persons. Christians inherit according to the civil law,
which reflects the recent change to the family code. Jewish citizens
maintain their own separate inheritance law based on Jewish tradition.
The Catholic Church may legally perform marriages for citizens who are
confirmed Catholics.
Women traditionally have experienced various forms of legal and cultural
discrimination in criminal and civil law, which is based on the official
interpretation of Shari'a. However, in December 2003, the Parliament
passed reforms of the Personal Status Code that give women the same
rights as men in divorce cases and grant mothers custody of minor children,
increase the marriage age from 15 to 18, and impose limitations on polygamy
that make it all but impossible to practice. The reforms also abolish
obsolete codified traditions, based on the official interpretation of
Shari'a, favoring male heirs. For example, grandchildren on the daughter's
side of the family may inherit from their grandparents. The reforms
are being implemented and have received positive feedback from women's
groups. They are predicated on the establishment of family courts and
the creation of a family aid fund, and they rely more heavily on the
court system than the previous law.
Under the criminal code, women generally are accorded the same treatment
as men.
There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of
minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from
the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned
to the United States.
Abuses by Terrorist Organizations
There were no reported abuses targeted at specific religions by terrorist
organizations during the period covered by this report.
Section III. Societal Attitudes
The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed
to religious freedom; however, converts to Christianity generally face
social ostracism.
Foreigners attend religious services without any restrictions or fear
of reprisals. Residents of all religions generally say the country is
enriched by its centuries-old Jewish minority, and for the most part
Jewish citizens lived throughout the country in safety. However, in
September 2003, a Jewish merchant was murdered in an apparently religiously
motivated killing. During the May 2003 terrorist attacks, members of
the Salafiya Jihadia targeted a Jewish community center in Casablanca.
After the attacks, Jews marched in solidarity with Muslims to condemn
terrorism. There have been thousands of arrests and many prosecutions
of persons tied to the May bombing and other extremist activity. Annual
Jewish commemorations took place around the country normally, and Jewish
pilgrims from around the region regularly come to holy sites in the
country.
While free expression of Islamic faith and free academic and theological
discussion of non-Islamic religions are accepted on television and radio,
society discourages public efforts to proselytize. Most citizens view
such public acts as provocative threats to law and order in an overwhelmingly
Muslim country. In addition society expects public respect for the institutions
and mores of Islam, although private behavior and beliefs are unregulated
and unmonitored. Because many Muslims view the Baha'i Faith as a heretical
offshoot of Islam, most members of the tiny Baha'i community maintain
a low religious profile; however, Baha'is live freely and without fear
for their persons or property, and some hold government jobs.
There is widespread consensus among Muslims regarding religious practices
and interpretation. Other sources of popular consensus are the councils
of ulemas, unofficial religious scholars who serve as monitors of the
monarchy and the actions of the Government. Because the ulemas traditionally
hold the power to legitimize or delegitimize kings through their moral
authority, government policies closely adhere to popular and religious
expectations. While dissenters challenge the religious authority of
the King and call for the establishment of a government more deeply
rooted in their vision of Islam, the majority of citizens do not appear
to share their views.
Unlike in the past, there were no incidents of religious intolerance
in the media or in school textbooks during the period covered by this
report.
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues as part of its
overall policy to promote human rights. U.S. Embassy officials encountered
no interference from the Government in making contacts with members
of the JCO.
Embassy officials met regularly with religious officials, including
the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Islamic religious scholars, leaders
of the Jewish community, Christian missionaries, the leaders of the
registered Christian communities, and other local Christians during
the period covered by this report.
Sources: U.S. State Department - Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor |