Morocco: 19,673 convicts receive royal pardon on Throne Day

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has granted royal pardons to 19,673 individuals to mark the 26th anniversary of his accession to the throne, celebrated as Throne Day.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Justice, 2,415 people received standard pardons, while an additional 17,258 convicts benefited from exceptional clemency measures.

Of those granted standard pardons, 2,239 are currently in detention. This includes 16 inmates who received full pardons for their remaining prison terms, 2,218 who had their sentences reduced, and five whose life sentences were commuted to fixed terms.

An additional 176 individuals who are not in custody were also pardoned. Among them, 40 received full pardons or had their remaining sentences cancelled, 12 had prison terms waived but were still required to pay fines, and 111 were pardoned from fines only.

A further 12 individuals had both prison sentences and fines forgiven, while one person received a pardon for both a fine and the remainder of their prison term.

The exceptional clemency initiative applied broader humanitarian criteria to extend relief to a larger group of convicts.

It included 114 prisoners whose life sentences were reduced to fixed terms and 23 inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

This year’s Throne Day is notable for the scale, symbolism, and humanistic spirit of the royal pardons, underscoring King Mohammed VI’s continued commitment to reform and compassion.

The initiative also seeks to address prison overcrowding, improve incarceration conditions, maintain security within penitentiary institutions, and promote the social reintegration of inmates.

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