Attendees at the conference for “Alternative punishments and alternatives to pre-trial detention” in Rabat
Attendees at the conference for “Alternative punishments and alternatives to pre-trial detention” in Rabat
Morocco

IRZ held a conference in Rabat from 30 November to 1 December 2022 with the Moroccan Ministry of Justice on the subject of “Alternative punishments and alternatives to pre-trial detention”. IRZ aimed to use this measure to focus on the current reform strategy of the Moroccan Judiciary, which, among others, gives high priority to the use of alternative punishments and the limitation of pre-trial detention in terms of its implementation and duration.

The project work of IRZ with the partner country Morocco has increasingly focused on supporting reforms in the area of criminal law and the penal system since the cooperation was launched in 2014.

The following experts attended for the IRZ:

  • Ulrich Bremer, Chief Public Prosecutor and Press Spokesperson, Cologne Public Prosecutor's Office
  • Pascal Décarpes, EU expert in criminal law

On the Moroccan side, the conference was opened by Mr. Hichem Mellati, Head of the Criminal Justice Department at the Moroccan Ministry of Justice.

Approx. 50 participants exchanged views with the experts on concepts and methods for implementing alternative punishments and alternatives to pre-trial detention and probation assistance. The German side first presented alternatives to pre-trial detention and then explained various penalties – in particular fines, (alternative) imprisonment, suspension of sentences and supervision of conduct. The second day of the event focused on the subject of probation services. The conditions for a suspended sentence, the review and the organisation of the probation service were presented. The participants reported on their experiences in Morocco in the subsequent discussions.

The two-day conference was generally characterised by intensive discussions and lively exchanges. The very active participation of the attendees demonstrated the great interest in the exchange of experiences between German and Moroccan colleagues. We are planning to hold further events on this topic in Morocco.

The event was financed by the Federal Ministry of Justice within the framework of institutional cooperation.