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Morocco:Royal pardon for 4,215 prisoners in Morocco
Moroccan King Mohammed VI issued an exceptional pardon yesterday for 4,215 prisoners, including 37 involved in cases of terrorism and 215 prisoners originating from the areas disputed over with the Polisario Front.
A statement issued by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice and Freedoms said: “On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Green March, HM King Mohammed VI granted his pardon, exceptionally, to 4,215 inmates in penitentiaries.”
The statement mentioned that from the 4,215 prisoners benefiting from the royal pardon, 3,539 prisoners were granted pardons over the remaining prison sentences, including 69 humanitarian cases, 215 originate from the southern provinces, and 561 inmates who hold diplomas or training certificates.
The statement also added that 639 prisoners had their prison sentences reduced, 218 of whom originate from the southern provinces and 421 of who hold diplomas or training certificates.
In addition to this, 37 of the prisoners were convicted in extremism and terrorism cases.
With regards to the pardon issued to the prisoners involved in extremism and terrorism cases, the ministry said: “This royal gesture came in response to the repeated pardon requests by the said inmates since 2005 and which were not approved until this exceptional occasion.”
Morocco considers the Green March the anniversary of the liberation of its southern provinces from Spanish colonial rule. On 6 November 1975, nearly 350,000 Moroccans staged a peaceful march to the south, on the orders of the late King Hassan II, to liberate the area from Spanish colonial rule before the conflict between Rabat and the Polisario Front began. Morocco and Spain signed an agreement on 14 November 1975 which outlined Spain’s withdrawal from the area handing it over to Morocco
