Morocco's King Mohammed VI pardoned nearly 20,000 prisoners on the anniversary of the throne. Among those pardoned were 115 sentenced to life imprisonment and 23 sentenced to death. This is an unprecedented number of royal pardons in the past of the country. The decision is to free a place in overflowing Moroccan prisons.
The Monarch exercised the right of grace over 19,6 1000 prisoners, as reported by the Spanish paper "El Pais". Among those pardoned were 115 sentenced to life imprisonment and 23 sentenced to death, whose sentences were converted to life imprisonment.
However, the diary noted that Morocco has de facto not applied the death punishment for more than 30 years. The last execution took place in 1993.
The unprecedented number of pardons
"This is an unprecedented number of royal pardons usually issued on authoritative and spiritual holidays to release a place in overflowing Moroccan prisons" - commented "El Pais". The King regularly enjoys this right during crucial state celebrations.
In August last year, Mohammed VI pardoned almost 5 1000 people convicted or wanted in connection with allegations of illegal cannabis cultivation. The government's intention was to encourage the legalisation of business and the improvement of Morocco's export possible on the hemp market.
Combating social inequality
"It is unacceptable that Morocco should be a country of 2 speeds" - said the king in a speech on Tuesday on the anniversary of the reign. According to authoritative statistic cited by Reuter, the level of poorness fell in Morocco from 11.9 percent in 2014 to 6.8 percent in 2024.
However, any regions show a higher level of poverty. Morocco attracts investments in sectors specified as aviation or car production, but a large part of the country is inactive dependent on agriculture, fisheries and tourism.
In 2021 cannabis cultivation and export were allowed in Morocco, as well as the usage of marijuana in medicine or industry, but not for recreational purposes.
(PAP) Note: This article was edited with Artificial Intelligence.
