Morocco’s Prison Crisis: 44% of Inmates Await Trial, Fueling Overcrowding

The number of untried detainees in the various prisons of Morocco is estimated at 40,255 people this year, or 44.25% of the country’s total prison population. The report of the Moroccan prison administration was presented in a parliamentary committee of the House of Representatives. In 2020, this rate was 45.70%.

According to the same report, 77.57% are between 18 and 40 years old. 44.88% are sentenced to two years or less in prison, while life sentences represent 0.56% of inmates and death sentences 0.09%. Among foreign prisoners, Nigerians are the largest group with 125 detainees, followed by those from Guinea Conakry (107) and Senegal (95), and 70 for Spaniards.