The Moroccan Prison Observatory has proposed measures to decrease the inmate population in correctional facilities. This comes following warnings from the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation concerning the alarming surge in prison populations, reaching an unprecedented number.
The Observatory has advocated for the establishment of a National Monitoring and Rescue Committee. This committee, encompassing all relevant stakeholders, would undertake visits to prisons and carry out on-site evaluations of their housing conditions.
Furthermore, the Observatory has urged expedited measures to curtail provisional detention, and to release prisoners whose sentences are set to end in the forthcoming three months, or those whose cases are stalled in investigative bureaus.
The same civil entity also pressed for new authorities to be granted to both judicial and administrative oversight mechanisms. This would empower them to fulfill their roles, either by offering comprehensive coverage of correctional institutions, especially those grappling with drastic population increases, or by suggesting measures to address overcrowding.
Legislatively, the Moroccan Prison Observatory has called for a swift presentation of the criminal law and procedure to the Parliament. This includes the organic law to appeal against the constitutionality of laws, the alternative sanctions law, and the release of all prisoners of conscience and social movement detainees.
As of August 7th, the number of inmates in Moroccan correctional institutions reached a staggering figure, surpassing 100,000 prisoners. Meanwhile, the official capacity of these institutions is limited to 64,600 beds, according to data released by the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation.
