Moroccan king pardons hundreds of inmates for Eid

By Mohamed al-Taheri

RABAT

King Mohammed VI has pardoned 889 detained individuals, including more than 170 arrested recently for taking part in protests in Morocco’s restive Al-Rif region, according to the Justice Ministry.

Issued via royal decree, the amnesty is meant to coincide with the four-day Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which kicked off Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry did not provide details about the individuals pardoned, but according to local media reports, they include at least 170 people recently detained for taking part in demonstrations in the northern Al-Rif region.

Since late 2016, Morocco’s mountainous Al-Rif region has seen intermittent street demonstrations to demand local development and an end to perceived government corruption.

Late last year, the king sacked four government ministers for ostensibly failing to implement a viable development plan for the region.