Morocco
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Art. 16 of the Moroccan penal code provides the death...
- News items in the archive
- 131
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Morocco is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 131 news items on Morocco, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
JANUARY 15, 2026MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: DEATH PENALTY REAFFIRMED FOR DUTCH HITMEN IN CAFÉ LA CRÈME SHOOTING
Two Dutch nationals convicted over the 2017 Café La Crème shooting in Marrakech have again been sentenced to death in Morocco,
- DECEMBER 12, 2024MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO TO BACK UN RESOLUTION FOR A UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi on December 9, 2024 said Morocco will vote in favor of the tenth United Nations resolution on a moratorium on the application of the death penalty.
APRIL 18, 2024MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: MAIN PERPETRATOR IN HIT-AND-RUN MURDER OF UNIVERSITY STUDENT RECEIVES DEATH PENALTY
The Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Casablanca delivered its verdict on April 16, 2024 in the case of the hit-and-run murder of university student Badr.
- OCTOBER 17, 2023MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO SENTENCES SUSPECT INVOLVED IN MURDER OF POLICEMAN TO DEATH PENALTY
The Court of First Instance in charge of terrorism cases at the Court of Appeals in Rabat on October 13, 2023 sentenced a man to the death penalty for his involvement in the murder of a policeman.
JULY 31, 2023MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI GRANTS ROYAL PARDON TO 2,052 CONVICTS
On the occasion of the Throne Day, King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to 2,052 people sentenced by different Moroccan courts, said a statement released by the Ministry of Justice on July 29, 2023.
- JUNE 2, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.N. Body Condemns Torture of Guantánamo Prisoner Awaiting Capital Trial
Together with United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Thailand
JANUARY 18, 2023MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI GRANTS PARDON TO 991 CONVICTS FOR INDEPENDENCE MANIFESTO DAY
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to 991 convicts on the occasion of the country’s Independence Manifesto Day, the Justice Ministry announced.
JANUARY 11, 2022MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: CASSATION COURT CONFIRMS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPIST, KILLER OF 11-YEAR OLD ADNANE
The Court of Cassation in Rabat confirmed on 5 January 2022 the death penalty sentence for the 24-year-old man who raped and killed 11-year-old Adnane Bouchouf in Tangier in September 2020.
- APRIL 8, 2021MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: DEATH PENALTY UPHELD FOR RAPIST, KILLER OF 11-YEAR-OLD ADNANE BOUCHOUF
The Tangier Court of Appeal upheld on 7 April 2021 the death penalty sentence against a 24-year-old man, who kidnapped, raped, and killed Adnane Bouchouf, an 11-year-old boy in September 2020.
JANUARY 13, 2021MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KILLER, RAPIST OF 11-YEAR OLD BOY SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Moroccan Court sentenced on 13 January 2021 a 24-year old man to death penalty for kidnapping, raping, and killing Adnane Bouchouf, a 11-year old boy in September last year.
OCTOBER 26, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: EXTRADITED FROM DENMARK, SAID MANSOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
A Moroccan court on 19 October 2020 sentenced to death Said Mansour for his involvement in the May 2003 terrorist attacks in Casablanca.
AUGUST 1, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI OFFERS ROYAL PARDON TO 1,446 CONVICTS
King Mohammed VI has ordered a royal pardon for 1,446 convicts on the eve of Throne Day, which will take place on 30 July 2020.
APRIL 21, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT RECOMMENDS ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
The 2019 report of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH) has recommended that the government abolishes the death penalty and carries out impartial and urgent investigations regarding the death cases in “zones deprived from freedom.”
- APRIL 7, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI GRANTS EXCEPTIONAL PARDON TO 5,654 PRISONERS
King Mohammed VI ordered on 5 April 2020 the release of 5,654 detainees in an exceptional royal pardon due to the COVID-19 crisis.
FEBRUARY 12, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING AND KILLING A WOMAN AND VIDEOTAPING HIM
A Moroccan court on 11 February 2020 sentenced to death the principal accused of raping and killing a woman in a popular neighborhood in Rabat last summer, in addition to participating in the recording of a video with the facts and disseminating it on soc
- JANUARY 1, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty
- DECEMBER 3, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: AN EGYPTIAN MAN AND HIS ACCOMPLICE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING A MOROCCAN
An Egyptian citizen and his accomplice on 26 November 2019 were sentenced to death by the Tangier Court of Appeal for murdering a Moroccan man, mutilating and cremating his remains, Arabic-language newspaper Al Ahdath reports.
- OCTOBER 31, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: DEATH SENTENCE CONFIRMED AGAINST FOUR MEN IN BACKPACKER MURDERS
A Moroccan appeals court upheld, late on 30 October 2019, death sentences against three Moroccan men for murdering two Scandinavian women in the Atlas mountains last December.
JULY 29, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: TWO DUTCHMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Two Dutchmen were sentenced to death in Morocco for murder, the NOS reported on 27 July 2019. One person was killed in the shooting in Marrakech. Two others were injured.
JULY 29, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING GRANTS ROYAL PARDONS TO DETAINEES OF HIRAK RIF, RECONCILIATION PROGRAM APPLICANTS
The Ministry of Justice issued a statement on 29 July 2019 to announce the royal pardons granted in the event of the King Mohammed’s 20th Throne Day.
JULY 19, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: COURT ORDERS DEATH PENALTY FOR JIHADISTS WHO BEHEADED TOURISTS
Three men have been sentenced to death in Morocco for the Isis-inspired murder of two Scandinavian hikers in the Atlas mountains last December.
- JUNE 5, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: THE KING PARDONS 755 CONVICTS ON THE OCCASION OF EID AL FITR
On the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, HM King Mohammed VI granted his pardon to 755 people sentenced by the different Moroccan courts, said a statement by the Justice ministry.
- JANUARY 21, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
JUSTICE MINISTER: MOROCCO IS TAKING STEPS TOWARD ENDING DEATH PENALTY
The Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty has reiterated its call to the government to remove the death penalty from the country’s Penal Code.
JANUARY 14, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI PARDONS 783 PRISONERS
The Ministry of Justice in Rabat on 13 January 2019 has announced that King Mohammed VI has graciously pardoned 783 prisoners as part of the celebrations for the 75th Anniversary of the Manifesto of Independence.
- JANUARY 1, 2019MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty
- FEBRUARY 28, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco: justice pronounces a new death sentence
February 28, 2018: First instance criminal court at the Court of Appeal of Rabat sentenced to death a defendant for murder and mutilation of cadaver.
- FEBRUARY 19, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco counts 115 sentenced to death
19 February 2018: Morocco counts 115 condemned to death, has just indicated the president of the Prosecutor General Mohamed Abdennabaoui during a meeting with the ambassadors of the kingdom.
- JANUARY 16, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco: the murderer of a deputy sentenced to death
16 January 2018: A local Moroccan politician was sentenced to death
JANUARY 15, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: ABDELLATIF MERDAS’ MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Hicham Mouchtari, accused of killing in March 2017 MP Abdellatif Merdas, has been sentenced to death, reports Media 24.
- JANUARY 1, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty
The Country has 11 crimes that carry the death penalty