Rabat, Morocco (TMT)- According to the 2022 report by the General Delegation for Prison Administration in Morocco, the number of prisoners has increased by 16% between 2018 and 2022, reaching a total of 97,204. Despite a temporary decrease due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prison population rebounded by 9.3% between 2021 and 2022. This increase was higher among female prisoners, with a rise of approximately 13% compared to a 9.3% increase among males. The number of convicted prisoners saw a 12% increase, while pretrial detainees rose by 5.8%, resulting in a decline in the percentage of pretrial detainees from 42.19% to 40.85% of the total prison population.
Looking ahead, the report projects a slight decrease of 0.8% in the number of prisoners by 2023, followed by a 2.6% increase in 2024. By 2025, the prison population is expected to surpass 100,000, reaching approximately 101,000 inmates, and further increase to over 104,000 by 2026, indicating a potential 7% rise between 2022 and 2026. Female prisoners are anticipated to experience a slight decline during the years 2023-2025 before returning to previous levels by 2026. Additionally, convicted prisoners are predicted to increase by 10% by 2026, while pretrial detainees are expected to rise by 2.5% with a temporary decline in 2023 followed by subsequent growth.
The Moroccan Times.
