Interior Ministry: Surveillance cameras will be deployed to address growing panhandling in the country

The Moroccan Ministry of Interior has released updated information on the growing panhandling problem in Morocco, saying it is deploying strict measures to address it, including the use of surveillance cameras.

A parliamentary question regarding “the worsening phenomena of begging and its threat to public security” prompted a response from the Ministry in Parliament this week.

According to the Ministry’s data, field interventions to combat the phenomenon of beggary during 2021 resulted in the registration of a total of 28,597 cases, of which 32,669 people were arrested, including 2,975 foreigners.

Additionally, a total of 2,425 cases were registered between January 1 and August 15, 2022, and 28,769 people were arrested, including 2,408 foreigners.

The Ministry stated that it is in its best interests to combat the beggary phenomenon due to its detrimental effects on the sense of security among citizens who are harmed by beggary activities, some beggars’ aggressive behavior, the exploitation of children and those with disabilities in this activity, and the distorting of the aesthetic perception of the public street in various cities.

Using the surveillance cameras placed in the public street, the security services, working with the local authorities, employ all available resources, both human and material, for direct observation and quick response to stop those responsible for the phenomenon or prevent them from carrying out their illegal activity or from being present in specific locations where it is known to spread.

The Ministry of the Interior emphasized that to tackle this phenomenon, the various sectors involved and members of civil society must work together to establish a social strategy capable of rehabilitating this group and integrating them into society.

Moroccan penal law criminalizes begging and punishes with imprisonment ranging from one month to six months for anybody who has a means of sustenance or has been able to get a job through any legal means but returns to the practice of begging anywhere.

Any beggar, whether handicapped or homeless, who begs by using threats or trying to fake illness, or who habitually accompanies one or more young children other than his descendants, is to face imprisonment for three months to one year.

The same punishment applies to individuals who explicitly or under the pretense of a vocation or craft employ minors under the age of 13 for begging.