King Mohammed amnesties 47,988 detainees on crown prince birth

Morocco's King Mohammed VI amnestied 47,988 detainees on the occasion of the birth of Crown Prince Moulay Al-Hassan, Justice Minister, Mohamed Bouzoubaa, announced on Thursday.

Some 9,459 inmates were granted free pardon and 38,529 had their jail terms reduced, the Minister said in a TV broadcast statement.

King Mohammed VI --imbued by humanitarian values and harbouring sympathy with inmates suffering from serious diseases, elderly or handicapped, pregnant or nursing women or accompanied by their children, minor children or youngsters gifted for artistic or craftsmanship-- granted free pardon to 155 amongst these inmates and reduced the jail terms of 1043 of them.

Some 3000 youngsters, under the age of 20, having served half of their terms and tried exclusively for offences, were granted free pardon, the justice minister said, underlining King Mohammed VI's attachment to the reintegration of these youngsters. Some 2000 other youth had their jail terms reduced.

Some 293 foreign nationals jailed in Morocco were granted free pardon for humanitarian reasons. They include elderly people and inmates seriously ill.