The Moroccan government has approved a decree empowering the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration to implement the country’s new alternative sentencing law, which is set to come into force at the end of August.
During its weekly council on Thursday, the government council adopted Decree No. 2.25.638, presented by Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Minister Delegate Amal Falah.
The measure grants the prison authority full responsibility for executing the landmark alternative sentencing legislation, a move the government described as a significant advancement in human rights and criminal justice reform.
The decree aims to align the structure of the prison administration with new legal developments, including Law No. 10.23, which regulates the management of penitentiary institutions, and Law No. 43.22 on alternative sentencing. The new organizational framework will ensure that administrative operations meet the growing demands of the system and reflect the evolving nature of its roles and responsibilities.
Speaking at the post-cabinet press briefing, Government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas called the alternative sentencing law “a new model of justice that shifts criminal policy away from a strictly punitive approach.”
He described the law as a “major transformation” inspired by royal directives to humanize the justice system and reduce prison overcrowding.
“This law marks a clear commitment to human rights and introduces a rehabilitative focus in criminal justice,” Baitas said. “Beginning at the end of August, courts will be able to offer eligible defendants new sentencing options.”
The law introduces alternatives to incarceration such as electronic monitoring and community service. These measures aim to reintegrate offenders into society while still meeting the objectives of justice, Baitas said. He emphasized that alternative sentences are designed to help offenders rehabilitate and reintegrate without undermining public safety or victims’ rights.
To balance reform with security concerns, the law limits eligibility to misdemeanors, excluding serious crimes such as embezzlement, bribery, abuse of power, drug trafficking, human trafficking, organ trade, and the sexual exploitation of minors. Repeat offenders are also excluded from benefiting from the law’s provisions.
Baitas noted that this legislative reform comes in response to recommendations from international human rights organizations, including the United Nations, and aligns Morocco’s legal system with global standards on justice and detainee rights.
“The law is a vital step toward a more modern, rights-based penal policy and will help reduce prison overcrowding by offering structured alternatives for less severe offenses,” Baitas concluded.
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