Rabat, January 11, 2026 – The Europe Today: King Mohammed VI of Morocco has granted his Royal Pardon to 1,386 individuals convicted by various courts across the country, the Ministry of Justice announced on Sunday. The announcement coincides with the 82nd anniversary of the presentation of the Independence Manifesto on January 11, 1944, which formally demanded an end to colonial rule and placed national independence at the forefront of Morocco’s political struggle.
The beneficiaries of the Royal Pardon include 1,157 inmates currently in detention. Among them, 23 individuals received a pardon on the remainder of their prison or detention sentence, while approximately 1,133 had their prison or detention sentences reduced. One inmate benefited from the commutation of a life sentence to a fixed-term sentence.
Additionally, 214 persons who are at liberty also benefited from the pardon. Of these, 69 received a pardon of the prison sentence or its remainder, nine received a pardon of the prison sentence while retaining the fine, around 124 had their fines pardoned, 11 received a pardon of both prison sentence and fine, and one person received a pardon covering both the fine and the remainder of their prison sentence.
The Royal Pardon also included 15 inmates convicted of extremism and terrorism. These individuals received the pardon after formally expressing their commitment to the constants and sacred values of the nation and its institutions, revising their ideological views, and rejecting extremism and terrorism. Among them, nine received a pardon on the remainder of their custodial sentence, while six benefited from a reduction of the remaining sentence.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that the royal gesture reflects the monarch’s continued commitment to national reconciliation and the principles of justice and mercy.
