Morocco to build new prisons to solve overcrowding

The Moroccan government has decided to build nine new prisons to solve the overcrowding in its existing facilities, Anadolu reported on Tuesday. There are around 80,000 people being held in the country.

“The Prisons and Integration Administration in Morocco has been trying to reduce the overcrowding,” explained government spokesman Mustafa Al-Khalfi, “and the figures show a reduction of 7 per cent between 2014 and last year.” He acknowledged that the efforts are not enough.

The government, Al-Khalfi pointed out, is trying to solve the problem by opening the new prisons as well as developing professional and education training programmes. “We are thinking about alternatives to detention as a punishment,” he added.

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A report issued by the prisons’ administration on Monday recognised that there is a “danger” due to the overcrowding in its facilities. It blamed poor financial resources and a high rate of detainees being held on remand; they account for 40 per cent of the 80,000 behind bars, but the figure peaks at 87 per cent for detainees under 18 years old. “Appropriate solutions are needed to limit this phenomenon,” the report concluded.