Morocco Resumes Prison Family Visits After COVID-19 Restrictions

In a statement, the prison institution said that this is an exceptional resumption that also concerns children, provided they are accompanied by an adult member of the prisoner’s family authorized to visit him. Thus, during this period (from March 1 to April 12), the visit will only be authorized once for the benefit of two visitors, members of the prisoners’ families who are authorized to visit them.

The DGAPR indicated that this decision comes in view of the "positive development of the epidemiological situation throughout the regions of the Kingdom". Prisons have recorded only a few isolated cases of infection among prisoners over the past four months. They were subjected to the treatment protocol in external hospitals. It is also for the DGAPR to preserve the family and social ties of prisoners, especially as the month of Ramadan approaches and the spiritual and human dimensions of this month.

In the practical organization of the operation, it is up to all prisoners to contact their families to inform them of the dates set for the visits, the DGAPR points out, specifying that some visits will be scheduled during school holidays and Saturdays and Sundays so that detainees can see their children, within the limits of the possibilities offered in each penitentiary institution.

Visitors and detainees are already asked to respect the scheduled dates for the success of the operation. Also, both parties will have to respect the preventive health measures put in place as part of the fight against the proliferation of the Covid-19 pandemic.