Morocco’s King Mohammed VI ordered the release of jailed journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi, and Soulaimane Raisouni on Monday.
This pardon is part of a larger gesture benefiting 2,476 convicts, a government source reported.
“This is a humane gesture on the 25th anniversary of the king’s reign, annulling prison sentences while maintaining the rights of the victims,” the source explained.
The Moroccan constitution grants the king the power to pardon or commute sentences, a decision often made on national days and significant occasions.
The three journalists were known critics of public policies and had been convicted on charges including sexual assault, which they denied. Human rights defenders argued that their trials were politically motivated.
Editor-in-chief Taoufik Bouachrine was sentenced to 12 years in jail in 2018, while Omar Radi and Soulaimane Raisouni were sentenced in 2021 to 6 and 5 years, respectively. The King also pardoned 16 inmates convicted on extremism and terrorism charges, following their change of views.
