The Dutch lower house has approved an extradition treaty with Morocco by a wide majority, moving the agreement close to final adoption and opening the way for tighter judicial cooperation between Rabat and The Hague against cross-border organized crime.
The Tweede Kamer approved the treaty on Tuesday, June 9, with 144 votes in favor out of 150. Only DENK and the Party for the Animals voted against. The text must still be examined by the Dutch Senate, but Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that rejection at this stage is not expected.
The treaty was signed in Rabat on December 18, 2023, and is designed to make it easier for both countries to request the extradition of suspects or convicted persons wanted for prosecution or for the enforcement of prison sentences.
Under the agreement, extradition can be requested for offenses punishable in both countries by at least one year in prison. Where the request concerns the enforcement of a sentence already handed down, at least six months of the sentence must still remain.
The agreement forms part of a wider Dutch effort to close safe havens used by criminal networks involved in international drug trafficking, money laundering and violent crime. Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said the treaty would remove “a piece of safe haven” from criminals who attempt to avoid prosecution by moving between the two countries.
Morocco does not in principle extradite its own nationals, including dual nationals. Van Weel told lawmakers that in such cases the treaty requires Morocco to take over prosecution itself, meaning suspects would no longer be able to assume that relocation automatically shields them from legal action.
The parliamentary debate also raised questions over legal safeguards. Dutch lawmakers pressed the government on fair trial guarantees, protection against political prosecution and the principle that a person cannot be prosecuted twice for the same offense.
The Senate file says the treaty includes refusal grounds and provisions allowing Dutch authorities to test extradition requests against human rights obligations, including because Morocco is not a party to the European Convention on Human Rights.
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