King Mohammed grants pardon to 979 convicts

On the occasion of the Prophet Mohammad's Birthday (Aid Al-Malwid), Morocco's King Mohammed VI has granted his pardon to 979 convicts, including some who are serving prison sentences and others who are free. A statement of the justice ministry announces that 219 detainees benefited from a total pardon of the remaining of their prison term, 677 others had their prison sentence reduced, and a detainee who was serving a life-prison term had his sentence commuted to a limited one.

A group of 45 persons sentenced to prison sentence coupled with a fine was pardoned from the prison sentence, while the fine was maintained and another 24 persons were exempted from paying the fine. Ten others were given a grace from the prison sentence or the remaining period and three persons were extended a grace on both the prison sentence and the fine.

The sovereign usually issues pardons on the occasion of national and religious days.