King Mohammed VI pardoned 1,381 convicted criminals on the 80th anniversary of the presentation of Morocco’s Independence Manifesto, the Ministry of Justice announced Wednesday.
Those being pardoned are either detained or serving a suspended sentence, according to the official statement of the Ministry.
Among them, 1,198 are currently incarcerated. 234 of the pardoned inmates had the remainder of their sentences remitted, 959 prisoners had their terms reduced, and five had their life sentences commuted to fixed prison terms.
Of the 183 serving a suspended sentence, 48 received a pardon for their prison sentences or remaining terms, 9 people received a pardon for their prison terms, but not their fines, 111 had their fines annulled, and 15 received a pardon for both their prison terms and fines.
Morocco’s customary Royal Pardon procedure typically coincides with the country’s commemoration of key anniversaries such as religious celebrations and national holidays.