Morocco has suspended judicial cooperation with its formal colonial ruler, France. A diplomatic row has been growing between the two countries over allegations of human right abuses regarding the torturing of people detained by the Moroccan government. It is speculated that the Moroccans have noticed that released prisoners are filing legal complaints of torture when they get back to France. This move has effected matters such as joint investigations, prisoner transfers, civil procedures for dual French-Moroccan nationals, and extraditions between the two countries. The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has urged Morocco to investigate the alleged injustices performed by the country's law enforcement.
Although Morocco remains under fire from human rights groups over police injustice, press privileges, and judicial independence, France is keen to resolve the dispute as soon as possible. One can infer that Morocco is trying dangerously to become an independent nation when considering that France is Morocco's top economic partner. I believe that Moroccans feel that outside nations are breeching the sovereignty of the country's own governmental ability to investigate internal issues, which is fueling Morocco's diplomatic spats.
Website 1: http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33808:morocco-raises-stakes-in-diplomatic-spat-with-ally-france&catid=56:diplomacy-a-peace&Itemid=111
Website 2: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-morocco-france-idUSBREA1Q0GW20140227
I think that this is a good example of how even in post-colonial Africa, European countries still have so much influence. While I definitely don't think that Morocco should be torturing its citizens, the ideal situation would be the Moroccan government coming to that conclusion on its own.
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