Morocco: female prison population growth outpaces males

The number of women in prison in Morocco rose by 7.8 per cent between 2022 and 2023, outpacing the 5.55 per cent increase of male prisoners, according Morocco World News, citing the latest figures from the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation. This represents the sharpest annual rise in female prisoners in the kingdom over the past decade.

The overall prison population was 102,653 by the end of last year, with 2.47 per cent being women. The report details the demographics within the prison system, noting that 2.19 per cent are elderly and 1.22 per cent are juveniles. A notable 47.68 per cent of the prisoners are under 30 years old, and 0.32 per cent have disabilities.

The five-year period from 2019 witnessed an 18.83 per cent increase in prisoner numbers, although there was a slight dip of 1.6 per cent in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting court activities and the application of special amnesty measures.

Mohammed Saleh Al-Tamak, the General Delegate, expressed concern over the rise in the prison population despite various interventions. Last year, citing the director of social and cultural work for prisoners, Moulay Idris Aklamam, the same outlet reported that Morocco’s programme for the social and professional rehabilitation of inmates is a “role model” for many countries in the MENA region and beyond.

The North African country currently operates 75 prison facilities, which include local, agricultural and central prisons, alongside rehabilitation and correctional centres.

Most convicts serve short-term sentences of two years or less, accounting for nearly half of all sentences. Those serving life or have death sentences are less than one per cent.

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