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Rabat – The local Oudaya prison in Marrakech denied reports on Saturday that three Tunisian women detained on charges of drug trafficking do not enjoy their full rights. In a statement, the Moroccan prison’s administration said the Tunisian women enjoy all their rights that are guaranteed by law.
The statement comes in response to “information reported by certain electronic sites,” Morocco’s state media reported. The prison refuted these claims, saying the detainees have not complained about their conditions.
The statement clarified that the three prisoners had requested to be in the same cell. The Oudaya prison clarified that this was not possible, as one detainee was in a block reserved for pregnant women or women who had recently given birth.
The Moroccan prison also placed one of the Tunisian women in an individual cell following a disciplinary decision, the source added. The woman had reportedly insulted a prison employee in front of other inmates and employees.
Morocco’s security services arrested the three women for their alleged links to an international drug trafficking network.
The online reports claiming the Tunisian women lacked full rights in the Moroccan prison adds to the recent accusations of mistreatment in detention centers from Moroccan journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui.
Upon his release on July 20, after three years in prison, El Mahdaoui gave interviews to Moroccan news outlets claiming that several prisoners were subject to torture.
He criticized the living conditions of inmates, claiming medical care and food services were substandard.
The General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) refuted El Mahdaoui’s allegations, describing them as “unfounded” and “irresponsible.”
“Concerning medical care, this detainee has already benefited from several internal and external examinations,” the DGAPR stated.
The delegation said the journalist underwent 50 general medical examinations, in addition to 47 dental examinations and a dermatological examination.
