Amnesty International Urges Morocco to Abolish Death Penalty Despite Declining Sentences

According to the Amnesty International (AI) report, this year several indicators suggest that Morocco has made efforts. But it will have to go much further. Indeed, the number of people sentenced to death last year in the Kingdom is 93, two less than the year before.

While the sentences do not have an executive effect since 1993, it should be noted that "Moroccan courts have handed down ten death sentences" in 2018, five less than in 2017. Added to all this, Morocco granted five pardons in 2018. This positions it among the 29 countries where convicts have been pardoned or commuted, as is the case in Afghanistan, Sudan, and the United States.

However, for AI, all of Morocco’s efforts will be in vain if the country does not resolutely commit to abolishing the death penalty. It is saddened that its incessant calls for Morocco to abolish the death penalty have not been heard so far.

It must be remembered that Morocco is one of the 32 countries that abstained from voting in favor of the United Nations resolution for the abolition of the death penalty, which was adopted on December 17, 2018. We remember, 121 countries expressed their favorable opinion in favor of said resolution, including Gabon, Algeria, Eritrea, Madagascar, and Eritrea.