Mohammed VI promotes the rehabilitation of prisoners through pardons
On the occasion of the commemoration of the holy month of Ramadan, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, pardoned more than 1,500 people, including 31 convicted of ‘extremism and terrorism’, after reviewing their cases, reflecting the North African country's approach in its fight against terrorist acts and organisations through the reconciliation, reintegration and rehabilitation of these prisoners within Alawi society.
This information was corroborated by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, who, in an official statement, specified the motives of each pardoned person and the reasons why they had been pardoned from their sentences.
Among the 31 cases of those convicted of terrorism, the case of Abdelkader Belliraj stands out. After 16 years of imprisonment and rehabilitation, he was pardoned for his actions in 2009. To this end, both Belliraj and the 30 others pardoned for acts related to terrorism officially declared their commitment to the fundamentals. In addition, their positions were reviewed to ensure that they had ‘renounced extremism’.
But why are not all prisoners pardoned? Every year in Morocco hundreds of prisoners' sentences for all kinds of crimes and acts are reviewed, but it was not until 2016 that Morocco launched the 'Réhabilitation' programme, the sole objective of which is to guarantee prisoners a second chance as long as, as stated in the official text of the programme, they are 'conscious, prepared and humanised'.
For a sentence to be pardoned, it must meet the standards of the royal decree on pardons, which specifies that prisoners must pass through various stages, including: inclusion in reform programmes, which can last for more than a decade; rehabilitation and reintegration programmes; and training programmes that help them to reclaim their role in society, including social work programmes to encourage civic behaviour in line with the rest of Moroccan society.
However, prisoners must go through 15 rounds of ‘reintegration and rehabilitation’ programmes in order to be selected as possible candidates for pardon. In Belliraj's case, all the evidence from the various trials showed that, after 16 years in prison, he was ready to be reintegrated into society. So much so that last year the prison authorities granted him leave to attend his mother's funeral, in what was seen as a gesture of goodwill.
This is a peculiar case, as Belliraj has been linked to terrorism since the 80s and early 90s, for committing criminal acts in Belgium until he was extradited to Morocco in 2009 where he was imprisoned.
The royal pardons have received widespread approval in the media, in society and in the institutions. The release of the convicts is part of the comprehensive strategy to rehabilitate them. These acts, according to Islamic affairs researcher Mohamed Abdul-Wahhab, are part of the Alawite country's national strategy of reconciling and giving second chances to those who show repentance.
Mohammed VI Foundation for the Reintegration of Prisoners
In parallel to the creation of the Rehabilitation programme, the Moroccan Executive promoted the development of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Reintegration of Prisoners. Through these two mechanisms, the Alawite Government is committed to improving the social protection and economic integration of those who have been detained.
According to the Foundation's website, the programme aims to promote the work programme for the rehabilitation and reintegration of a sector of society that needs reintegration through plans tailored to the condition of each convict.
The merging of these two plans reflects Morocco's attitude towards the defence of human rights, social reconciliation, the incorporation of values, and the country's humanitarian approach.