Morocco’s Prison Administration (DGAPR) signed a partnership with its Ministry of the Economy, Ulema Organization (“Rabita Mohammadia des Oulémas”), the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), and Mohammed VI Foundation for Inmate Reintegration on Friday to create the “Musalaha Center” (Reconciliation Center), reported the DGAPR on Facebook.
The signing ceremony was held at Ulema organization headquarters in Rabat, following King Mohammed VI’s orders, and by virtue of taking advantage of the experiences and best practices accumulated under the “Musalaha Program” for the rehabilitation of prisoners of extremist and terrorist cases.
Morocco’s Musalaha Program was launched in 2017. It is a comprehensive approach to promote moderation, tolerance, and openness among ex-terrorists and reintegrate them back into society. The 180-hour rehab program includes psychological support.
More than 259 people–both male and female–have benefited from this program since its inception in 2017.
“Two hundred two beneficiaries of this program were released, including 150 by royal pardon, while the sentences of 23 other convicts were reduced, bringing the rate of beneficiaries from the royal pardon to 66.79%,” reported head of DGAPR Mohamed Saleh Tamek at the closing of the 12th iteration of this pilot program, held in the local prison of Salé in early July.
The Musalaha Program was later extended to women, incarcerated under the Anti-Terrorism Act, in its fifth session back in 2019.
The program has achieved its objectives, as all jails are now officially deemed free of extremism and terrorism-related inmates.
The program builds on the successes of previous sessions and encourages the scheduling of additional consultations for such prisoners.