The prison service is not trained in dynamic security.

The Penitentiary law states that prisoners can be searched “frequently and as often as the prison warden deems necessary” (Penitentiary law, article 68).
An officer of the same sex carries out body searches on prisoners.

Handcuffs, shackles and straightjackets are frequently used as instruments of restraint.
Handcuffs are used to transport or extract prisoners. Article 69 of the Prisons Act L’article 69 de la loi pénitentiaire authorises their use at “any time that the circumstances do not allow for other ways of sufficiently ensuring supervision” of prisoners.
The same article states that the use of instruments of restraint must be authorised by the warden or under medical advice “if there is no other way to restrain a prisoner, to prevent them from causing damage or from harming themselves or others”.
A doctor must be consulted during the use of these instruments. The warden is required to notify the director of the prison service. The use of instruments of restraint as a means of punishment is prohibited (article 62 of the Penitentiary law).

The use of instruments of restraint is subject to the warden’s authorisation.

Policies for prevention of violent extremism and radicalisation have been implemented. These policies lead to the creation in 2017, of the Moussalaha program, started by a joint effort between the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation, the Rabita Mohammadia des Oulémas¹, the National Human Rights Council (Conseil national des droits de l’Homme, CNDH) and the Mohammed VI Foundation (la Fondation Mohammed VI). Prisoners sentenced for acts of terrorism or extremism take part in this program. Participants numbered 50 in 2018.²

The prison administration also set up an awareness and information campaign about “tolerance culture and openness towards others”.

The law states that disciplinary sanctions must correspond to the nature of the offence committed, be proportional to the seriousness of offences and be suited to the character of the offender.

The range of disciplinary sanctions are:¹

• a warning which is recorded in an individual file

• access to the canteen is disallowed except to buy toiletries, as well as receiving money from outside the prison

• individual use of a radio, television or other authorised devices is disallowed (maximum of 45 days)

• access to the visiting room without partitions is disallowed (maximum of three months)

• the prisoner must carry out cleaning work in the prison accommodation (maximum of seven days)

• the prisoner must carry out repair work to fix the damage or deterioration they have caused

• the prisoner is placed in a disciplinary cell, according to the conditions set out in article 6 (maximum of 45 days). This provision is not applicable to minors.

Fines cannot be imposed. However, all measures can be combined with the requirement to carry out repair work to fix the damage or deterioration caused.

Suspended disciplinary measures can be imposed. These are revoked if the prisoner commits a new offence during the six month suspension period. The two measures are then (imposed simultaneously).

Combining these measures does not mean that the maximum length of the sanction stated by the law is extended.

Measures that have been suspended are declared null and void if the prisoner commits no offences during the suspension period.

Disciplinary measures can be lifted or suspended due to:

• religious or national festivals

• the prisoner’s good behaviour

• medical treatment

• training

The discipline commission, chaired by the warden, decides if a sanction is imposed.

Solitary confinement takes place in an individual cell adapted for this purpose. The prison administration does not provide details about the material conditions of these cells.

The penitentiary law states that a prisoner placed in solitary confinement must take a daily walk of one hour (Penitentiary law, article 61).

Solitary confinement can lead to the withdrawal of work (Penitentiary law, article 39).