Rabat – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to 991 convicts on the occasion of the country’s Independence Manifesto Day, the Justice Ministry announced.
The pardon will benefit 707 detained beneficiaries, the ministry added, specifying that 10 inmates will be pardoned from their remaining prison sentences, while 687 convicts will have their sentences reduced.
In addition, one inmate had a death sentence lowered to a life sentence, while nine others had their life sentences commuted to shorter prison sentences.
Furthermore, 284 people who are not currently incarcerated benefited from the pardon, with 86 being pardoned from serving their prison terms, while 169 others had fines annulled.
Finally, 17 people had their prison terms pardoned, but their fines will be maintained, while 12 others were pardoned from both their prison terms and fines.
National and religious celebrations in Morocco are traditionally accompanied by royal pardons.
The 79th anniversary of the Manifesto of Independence celebrates the signing of the manifesto in 1944 by members of the Moroccan National Movement who then presented it to French and Spanish colonial authorities.
Most historians believe the event to be the beginning of Morocco’s efforts toward regaining independence.
