Investigation Launched: 120 Deaths at Moroccan Social Center Spark Concern

8 May 2019 – byKamal · 2 min read

The public prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary investigation into the cause of the series of deaths recorded at the "dar el kheir Tit Mellil" social center, which have reached the alarming figure of 120 deaths since 2018. In the space of four months, no less than 14 new cases have been recorded at the center.

In a statement to the daily Al Massae, the president of the investigation and data exploration commission in Tit Mellil announced that 14 new deaths have been recorded at the Center since the beginning of the year, the latest being that of an elderly man, whose state of health required immediate hospitalization, but who was abandoned to his fate without any consideration from the authorities.

The president also said that the investigation commission has referred the case of the death of one of the center’s residents to the public prosecutor’s office. The deceased suffered from several chronic illnesses that were never treated.

The newspaper adds that the president also pointed to the case of several inmates whose state of health requires immediate care, asking the commission to intervene with the Ministry of Health and the authorities of the establishment, in order to find an urgent solution.

In 2018, more than 90 deaths were recorded at the Tit Mellil Center, announced Hasna Hajib, president of the National Human Rights Commission, adding that this number continues to increase since the beginning of the year.

The situation of the residents has been described as catastrophic by most human rights actors, particularly in the medical and food sectors, where patients suffer from a glaring lack of food and medicines necessary for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses.

On-site report by the Hespress website: