COVID-19: Morocco’s Crime, Auto Accident Rates Fell Drastically in March

Rabat – The medical state of emergency in Morocco has resulted in a remarkable decline in crimes and road accidents, according to the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).

DGSN announced yesterday on its Twitter page that the general crime rate in Morocco fell by 20%, which translates to approximately 10,867 fewer criminal cases throughout the country in March 2020, compared to March 2019.

Crimes related to theft under the threat of a weapon, decreased by 52%, reported sexual assault and rape cases decreased by 41%, premeditated homicide cases went down 67%, and reported economic and financial crimes fell by 23%, in addition to decreases in other categories of crime.

Assault and battery resulting in death and homicide attempts demonstrated an unprecedented decline.

For the road accidents rate, security services recorded a decrease of 81.05% in all injuries related to road accidents, a 79.12% decrease in severe injuries, and a 65.52% decrease in road accident fatalities between March 20 to April 12, 2020 and the same period in 2019.

The significant decline in reported crimes and auto accidents may be explained by the decline in individuals’ movement during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the suspension of activity in sectors that require driving.

However, DGSN continues to arrest people who have violated the state of emergency, which was declared on March 19. Morocco criminalized violations of its state of emergency measures in Decree No. 2.20.292, passed on March 23.

Moroccan security forces announced today the arrests of 2,686 people in the last 24 hours for their involvement in breaching state of emergency measures.

Out of the country’s 36,048 total arrests for these violations since March 20, police brought 19,368 individuals before the public prosecutor’s offices, the DGSN said.

The DGSN emphasized that security services will increase control operations across Morocco to ensure the “strict implementation of the health emergency rules.”

Morocco confirmed 2,251 COVID-19 cases as of 10 a.m. on April 16, including 247 recoveries and 128 deaths.