The head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, chaired, this Wednesday, November 20 in Rabat, a meeting dedicated to examining the implementation of the law relating to alternative sentences.
This meeting saw the participation of the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, the general delegate for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), Mohamed Salah Tamek, as well as the general director of the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG ), Khalid Safir.
Also present were the Secretary General of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the President of the Criminal Law Unit at the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), as well as the Director of Criminal Affairs, Pardons and the Fight against Crime at the Ministry of Justice, the director of equipment and property management, and the director of the budget at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
During the meeting, the participants examined in detail the mechanisms necessary for the application of Law No. 43.22 on alternative penalties, published in the Official Bulletin on August 22, 2024. They also analyzed the requirements in terms of management, administration and funding essential to carry out this reform project, intended to mitigate the undesirable repercussions of short-term custodial sentences and to remedy the issues of overcrowding within penitentiary establishments.
A strategic plan and a working methodology were established during the session, providing for the creation of a steering committee as well as thematic working groups. The latter will look into the technical and practical issues inherent to this ambitious project, with the aim of promulgating the corresponding implementing decrees within a period not exceeding five months, while ensuring compliance with the stipulated timetable for entry into force. in Law No. 43.22.
The general framework of the agreement to be established between the CDG and the DGAPR was also defined, with the mission of rigorously monitoring the implementation of alternative penalties, both at central and local levels.
The activation of alternative sentences in the judicial system is fully in line with the high royal guidelines, which recommend the adoption of a new criminal policy, based on a review and adaptation of criminal laws and procedures, in order to harmonize with contemporary developments.
