Rabat – Morocco’s program for the social and professional rehabilitation of inmates is a “role model” for many countries in the MENA region and beyond, the director of social and cultural work for prisoners, Moulay Idris Aklamam, said on Friday.
The official’s remark came on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the 11th session of the program directed to inmates imprisoned on charges of extremism and terrorism.
Named the “Moussalaha” program (Arabic for reconciliation), the initiative aims to reintegrate inmates into society after serving their prison sentences. In the 11th session, 20 inmates benefited from 200 hours of training throughout a period of two months.
The training aimed to help inmates analyze and view the inaccuracies in the extremist discourse promoted by terrorist organizations.
The ceremony was held in the presence of a number of high-profile officials including the Delegate of the Prison and Reintegration Administration, Mohamed Saleh Al -Tamak, the President of the National Council for Human Rights, Amna Bouayash, and the Secretary-General of the Muhammadiyah Association of Scholars, Ahmed Abadi.
Speaking at the event, Al-Abadi noted that the program aims to help inmates reconcile with themselves, religion, and society as a whole.
For his part, Hisham Malati, a senior official at the justice ministry, explained the legal approach to the program, highlighting that the program brings prisoners closer to the goals and objectives of Morocco’s Law 03.03 on combating terrorism.
The closing ceremony of the 11th session was also marked by the launching of the 12th session of the program.
The Moussalaha program was launched in 2017 and targets inmates who have served their prison sentences under charges of extremism and terrorism. Since its creation, the program has benefited 259 inmates.
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