Rabat – Morocco’s prison system is changing. The days of focusing only on locking people away are over. Now, It is about balancing security, rehabilitation, and respect for human rights.
On November 19, the Council of Europe and Morocco’s General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) hosted a workshop in Rabat. It brought together trainers to create tools for prison staff based on the new Penal Execution Ethics Charter.
Andreu Estela, a justice and human rights expert from the Council of Europe, was on hand to guide the workshop.
In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), he didn’t hold back on the scale of change needed: “Morocco’s prison system is at a turning point,” he said. “It’s moving from focusing only on captivity to something much bigger — helping inmates reintegrate into society.”
This new charter is a game-changer. It has a set of guidelines that defines what’s expected of prison personnel and ensures they protect the rights of inmates while adhering to international standards.
During the workshop, participants co-created lesson plans, activity sheets, and even practical case studies. These tools will soon be rolled out to train new prison staff. The idea is to embed the charter’s principles deeply into the day-to-day work of the people who run Morocco’s prisons, from directors to wardens.
Estela pointed out that recent laws, like those introducing alternative sentencing, are moving the system forward: “It’s not just about locking people up,” he added to MWN. “It’s about creating strategies that work both inside and outside the prison.”
The Council of Europe expert also believes that clear communication and broader cooperation are the way forward. “This isn’t just about prison staff,” he told MWN. “Judges, lawyers, NGOs, everyone in the system needs to be on the same page. We need transparency and shared understanding. That’s the only way to stop people from reoffending.”
This workshop is part of a broader program funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe that centers around not just prisons, but also building up a strong democracy and protecting human rights across Morocco.
The tools and lesson plans developed in Rabat are a first step. They’ll be used to train new staff, ensuring they’re ready to handle the challenges of a modern prison system.
In sum, this initiative is about training, ensuring that everyone involved in the system from prison guards to lawyers shares the same goal: curb reoffending cases and build a righteous society.
As Estela put it, “This is about creating a system that works for everyone. And that starts with information, training, and a clear commitment to human rights.”
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