HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Daher
In a judicial move reflecting the actual and gradual implementation of the modern provisions of the criminal policy in the Kingdom, the judge of alternative penalties at the Marrakesh Court of First Instance issued a qualitative ruling last Thursday granting a young man convicted in a "petty theft" case an alternative to a prison sentence. He subsequently left the walls of the local "Oudaya" prison and headed home, after serving one week of a three-month prison sentence.
The court decided to replace the remaining prison term for the convict with a strict evaluation and disciplinary measure, obliging the young man to report to the nearest security district to his residence in Marrakesh three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) at 10:00 AM, to prove his attendance and adherence to the security authorities' supervision.
This judicial decision comes in the context of activating the provisions of Law No. 43.22 concerning alternative penalties, which primarily aims to reduce the negative effects of short-term custodial sentences, avoid overcrowding in detention facilities, and provide a second chance for young people to integrate into the social fabric without compromising the prestige of the law and the deterrent authority.
The judicial body also issued a stern warning to the convict, stating that "the slightest recklessness" or breach of the specified attendance schedule, or the commission of any act contrary to the law, will automatically lead to the cancellation of this alternative measure, and his immediate return to "Oudaya" prison to complete the remainder of his prison sentence behind bars.
This ruling has been met with relief in legal and human rights circles in the Red City, who consider the verdict a pioneering step that embodies the reformist philosophy of the new law, balancing a rehabilitative approach with maintaining close security surveillance to ensure public safety.
