MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2020) Moroccan King Mohammed VI has declared amnesty for 5,654 prisoners as part of the government's measures for tackling the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Justice said on Sunday.
"As part of His Majesty's ... constant attention toward his subjects detained in penitentiary and rehabilitation facilities, [the king] has granted his royal mercy to 5,654 prisoners," the ministry said in a press release, as quoted by the MAP news agency.
According to the press release, the eligibility criteria for the amnesty were determined with regards to inmates' age, health, duration of sentence and behavior in prison.
"His Majesty the King ... has ordered for all necessary measures to be taken for enhancing the protection of prisoners within these establishments amid the spread of the [COVID-19] epidemic," the press release read.
Morocco is among the countries that have declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has confirmed 960 COVID-19 cases and 66 coronavirus-related fatalities, according to statistics compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.
