Rabat – The administration of Ain Sebaa 1 local prison in near Casablanca has released a statement denying accusations made by a former inmate against the head of the prison’s Security and Discipline Department, alleging “torture of inmates leading to death.”
The prison administration described the allegations as baseless, adding that the work of the Security and Discipline Department head is conducted in full compliance with the legal guidelines governing prison operations and under the supervision of the prison director.
The accusations were published in YouTube videos, in the wake of inmate Soufiane Erraji’s passing around a month ago. His family has since been demanding answers regarding his death. In an interview with local media, his brother accused the head of the prison’s security, Kamal, of repeatedly torturing and abusing Soufiane, which he believes led to his death.
Soufiane’s brother expressed his shock and grief, saying, “How come my brother was handcuffed and standing for 40 days, and was forced to pee in his clothes?” He called for an investigation into the incident and demanded an autopsy to uncover the truth.
He further accused the prison official of being responsible for many other deaths as well, stating, “This man, Kamal, has killed so many people, and now he’s killed my brother.”
The family claims that Soufiane was struck in the head in a fatal blow and was later taken to the hospital. They also said they were not informed of his passing directly, and it was other inmates who told them about his death.
Many people, including content creators, have been posting videos and calling for justice for Soufiane Erraji.
The case has drawn widespread attention, and the recent whistleblowing by the former Ain Sebaa 1 inmate only adds to the speculation of unethical practices in the Moroccan prison.
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The prison administration’s statement further said in response that the former inmate making these claims has a long record of offenses and a history of aggressive behavior toward both prison staff and fellow inmates.
The statement added that during his most recent imprisonment, the individual committed several violations involving acts of violence within the prison.
The statement also noted that the individual is a repeat offender with convictions for fraud, theft, drug possession and consumption, carrying weapons in threatening circumstances, and issuing threats, insults, and slander.
The prison administration expressed concern over the severity of the allegations made in the videos, stating that they tarnish the reputation of the prison system and its staff.
To address the matter, the administration has decided to file a legal complaint against the individual with the competent judicial authorities.
