Here is a short article from Agence France Press by way of the Lebanon Daily Star about the rehab of old centers of torture for more civilized purposes.
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From centers of torture to culture in Morocco
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, September 17, 2010
RABAT: Morocco launched a program to restore former secret detention centers on Wednesday as it seeks to deal with the legacy of past human rights abuses, state sources said.
During former head of state King Hassan II’s reign (1961 – 1999), these centers became notorious as sites where dissidents opposed to the king were detained and tortured.
According to an agreement by the Culture Ministry and the Consultative Council of Human Rights, the centers will be transformed into places of “preservation and rehabilitation of the [victims’] memory” and cultural centers.
The EU has granted more than $6.5 million for the project over the next five years, with the aim of encouraging “Morocco’s reconciliation with its past,” a culture ministry official said. Since 2004, a number of torture victims have been compensated by the Equity and Reconciliation Committee. – AFP
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