Rabat, July 29 – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI ordered the release of jailed journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi, and Soulaimane Raisouni on Monday, as part of a pardon benefiting 2,476 convicts, according to a government source.
The pardon, marking the 25th anniversary of the King’s reign, annuls prison sentences while maintaining the rights of the victims, the source said. The Moroccan constitution allows the King to pardon or commute sentences, a decision usually made on national days.
The three journalists, outspoken critics of public policies, were convicted on charges including sexual assault, which they denied. Human rights defenders had condemned their trials as politically motivated. Bouachrine, editor-in-chief, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2018, while Radi and Raisouni were sentenced in 2021 to six years and five years, respectively.
The King also pardoned 16 inmates convicted on extremism and terrorism charges after they reviewed their positions, according to Morocco’s justice ministry.
