Moroccan Terrorist Convict Remains in Iraqi Prison Despite Completing 20-Year Sentence

The family of Adnane Sahman, a Moroccan convicted of terrorism and imprisoned in Iraqi prisons, is eager to see him again. Arrested on May 13, 2004, this native of Casablanca had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to his family, he should have been released on May 13, but he is still detained in an Iraqi prison. Information confirmed by Abdelaziz Bakkali, president of the National Coordination of Families of Moroccans Blocked and Detained in Syria and Iraq. He has asked the Moroccan authorities, and in particular the Moroccan embassy in Baghdad, to intervene to accelerate Sahman’s return to his country. But these authorities have not so far been able to do so. In a statement to Alyaoum24, Bakkali said the embassy claims to be having difficulties communicating with the Iraqi authorities. He added that the last phone call Adnane made to his sister was a month ago. The detainee expressed his fear of not being released.

There are 20 Moroccan detainees in Iraqi prisons, according to a report from the National Coordination of Families of Moroccans Blocked and Detained in Syria and Iraq. Arrested and then convicted of terrorism, they are serving prison sentences ranging from 20 years to life and the death penalty. Sentences described as "unjust" by the coordination. The issue of Moroccans detained in Iraq has surfaced since the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some of these young people were residing in Iraq before the invasion, while others entered it illegally, the Coordination said in a previous report.