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Morocco and Western Sahara

Capital city — Rabat

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Panorama
Contributor(s)Observatoire marocain des prisons (OMP) / independent experts

Contact with the outside world

Visitation rights

All prisoners have the right to receive visits

yes

The visitor needs to provide a form of ID and complete a visit form. The director of the prison grants authorisation to visit.

Visit permits are granted

within several weeks

People eligible to visit

family members

Members of associations are allowed to visit as an exception.

The frequency and length of visits varies depending on the classification of the prisoner:

  • category A: two visitors are permitted each week. Each visit lasts 20 minutes.
  • category B: three visitors are permitted. The duration of the visits “varies depending on the circumstances”.
  • category C: four visitors are permitted. The duration of the visits “varies depending on the circumstances”.

Family visiting units are being tested in some prisons. They only concern minors who are considered to have good behaviour. The unit is where the minor can meet their family for a maximum duration of 3 hours. The development of these units is very limited.

Prisoners and visitors can meet without physical barriers

yes

Visits normally take place in a visiting room without barriers. The prison director can decide to use a visiting room with physical separation in case there is an incident, a suspicion, or if requested by the prisoner or visitor.

Visits to sick prisoners can take place in hospital as an exception. (Penitentiary Law, article 76).

Prisoners are allowed to receive visits from their children or minor relatives

yes

Conjugal visits are allowed

no

Items permitted to be brought into the prison by visitors include clothes and books. At the time of writing the prison authorities do not allow visitors to bring in food.

“Prisoners should be placed, when possible, in prison close to their residence or the residence of their family” (The Moroccan penitatary reference document, DGAPR 2016-2020 strategy, law 41).

Correspondence

Prisoners are allowed to exchange mail

yes, under certain conditions

The amount of mail permitted depends on the classification of the prisoner. The prison director can temporarily ban the exchange of letters between the prisoner and their family, if “the exchange seems likely to jeopardise the rehabilitation of the prisoner or to maintain order in the prison.” (Article 90, Penitentiary law).

Mail exchanged is subject to control

yes

All letters exchanged by prisoners are read, except official sealed letters (see below).

Prisoners are allowed to exchange mail in sealed envelopes

yes

Prisoners are allowed to exchange sealed letters with judicial authorities and lawyers. They can also submit ”sealed letters addressed to the Minister of Justice, the director of the prison service, judicial authorities and to administrations authorised to exercise control over prisons” to the prison director.

Prisoners are allowed to receive parcels

no

E-mail exchange is possible

no

Phone calls

Prisoners are allowed to make external phone calls

yes

The frequency and duration of phone calls depends on the classification of the prisoner:

  • category A: five minutes of calls per week.
  • category B: ten minutes of calls per week.
  • category C: ten minutes of calls, three times per week.

Prisoners are allowed to call

family members

The phones are located

in the corridors

The cost of phone calls is in line with market prices

yes

Phones calls are wire tapped

yes

Some calls are listened to.

The use of cell phones is authorised

no

Prisoners have access to video calls with external contacts

no