Rabat – The Government Council adopted Bill 99.18 on Thursday, approving an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and the extradition of fugitive offenders, Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) reported.
Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Moroccan Minister of Justice Mohamed Aujjar signed the agreement on November 12, 2018, in New Delhi.
The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Morocco and India in countering organized crime and terrorism through extradition, Government Spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi said Thursday at a press briefing after the Government Council meeting.
MoS @Gen_VKSingh met with Minister of Justice of Morocco, Mohamed Auajjar during the visit of Moroccan Justice Ministry delegation to India. Discussion focused on strengthening bilateral relations, followed by signing of the Extradition Agreement. pic.twitter.com/4oBdbpAVGT
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 13, 2018
The agreement provides a legal framework for extraditing fugitive offenders in both countries and specifies the extradition procedure and conditions, El Khalfi added.
The legal agreement emphasized the need to protect suspects’ rights during the extradition process, the minister noted.
As part of the agreement, both parties will cooperate in serving summons, judicial documents, and letters of request and in executing judgments, decrees, and arbitral awards.
Read Also: Morocco and India Sign Extradition Agreement for ‘Fugitive Offenders’
Under the contract, the extradition process excludes individuals prosecuted for political offenses, El Khalfi said.
“The agreement will not affect the rights and obligations of the contracting States which they have assumed under international conventions and treaties.”
The contract also includes some common provisions regarding extradition waiver proceedings, property submission, provisional detention, and costs arising from extradition, according to El Khalfi.
In September 2018, Morocco and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of cybersecurity.
“The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation for exchange of knowledge and experience in detection, resolution and prevention of security-related incidents” between the two countries, according to Indian news outlet India Blooms.
India and Morocco enjoy friendly bilateral relations. Last year, both countries signed many agreements and MoUs on various sectors including air service, tourism, social programs, mining and geology, and information technology.
