Morocco said it had suspended judicial cooperation agreements with France in a growing diplomatic row with its former colonial ruler over allegations of human rights abuses.President Francois Hollande spoke to the Moroccan king earlier this week to try to calm the rare row between France and Morocco, an ally which has faced criticism from rights groups over police abuses, press freedom and judicial independence.Rabat on Saturday summoned the French ambassador after French police went to the Moroccan Embassy in Paris seeking to question the head of the domestic intelligence service over torture allegations, following lawsuits filed against him in France by Moroccan activists.In 2012, the United Nations said torture against people suspected of national security crimes in Morocco was systematic and urged it to end ill treatment in its prisons and police detention centers. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has urged Morocco to investigate accusations that police tortured pro-democracy activists to force false confessions.

Reuters