Overcrowding hinders improvement of Moroccan prisons, Minister
Morocco, Politics, 7/22/2004

"We cannot speak about an improvement of the situation in (Moroccan) prisons unless the problem of overcrowding is resolved," said, on Tuesday, Moroccan Justice Minister, Mohamed Bouzoubaa.

Speaking at the opening of the 22nd session of Human Rights Advisory Council (CCDH), Bouzoubaa noted that overcrowding in jails is a stumbling block to all reforms of penitentiary institutions.

Studies carried out by the Justice Ministry show that several detentions were not necessary and that they affected the capacity of prisons, said Bouzoubaa, citing as an example that public prosecutors have ordered the detention of 17,000 people who were later acquitted or condemned to suspended sentences.

20 percent of detainees are under preventive detention, he added, underlining that instructions were given to accelerate the examination of these cases.

The Justice minister said he addressed a circular to the concerned authorities to draw their attention to this question and ask them not to proceed to automatic detention.

To resolve the problem of overcrowding, he said, 6 prisons are under construction. According to Bouzoubaa, the fact that Moroccan jails are filled to capacity is not only due to the high rate of criminality in the country which is relatively weak in Morocco.

He added that women detainees represent only 2 percent of inmates in Morocco. As for the average of sentences, it passed in five years from 6 to 8 months.

The minister also deplored the weak number of prison guards which does not exceed 6,000 while the number of visits, he said, has reached 1.800.000 a year.

Previous Stories:
  Human Rights hold larger place in Moroccan politics, CCDH   (6/22/2004)
  Human rights hold larger place in Moroccan politics, CCDH   (6/21/2004)
  Center to preserve Moroccan prisoners rights   (6/11/2004)

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