King Mohammed VI has pardoned 881 convicts on the occasion of The Revolution of the King and the People,celebrated on August 20 in Morocco,the ministry of Justice announced Tuesday in a press release.
The list of the beneficiaries of the royal pardon includes inmates who were granted a pardon over their remaining jail terms,convicts who had their prison terms reduced,and prisoners who saw their sentences commuted from life imprisonment to fixed jail terms.
Some convicts benefited from pardon over their prison terms while their fines were maintained,others had their fines annulled,while some inmates benefited from both a pardon over their prison terms and fines.
The King usually grants free pardon to inmates and convicts on religious and national holidays.
This year,Morocco is celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People,renewing a pact between the Throne and the People in the defense of the Nation.
This national epic marked a turning point in Morocco’s struggle for freedom and independence and embodied the highest expressions of mutual loyalty between the throne and the people,and the shared commitment to safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and unity.
The spark of the revolution was ignited on August 20,1953,when the French colonial authorities exiled the late King Mohammed V and his family,in a desperate attempt to sever the deep-rooted bonds between the King and his people. Yet,this conspiracy only fueled the flame of resistance,as Moroccans engaged in a nationwide uprising for dignity and freedom,until the legitimate King returned from exile in 1955 carrying the banner of independence.
This anniversary provides an opportunity to recall the long path of national struggle—beginning with opposition to the “Berber Dahir” in 1930,moving through the presentation of the Independence Manifesto in 1944,and the historic Tangier visit in 1947 by the late King Mohammed V,before culminating in the union of the throne and the people in a revolution of dignity and defiance against colonialism,which led to independence in 1956.
Historians consider the Revolution of the King and the People a timeless landmark in Morocco’s history,and a national school for generations that instills in the collective memory the values of sacrifice and true patriotism. It demonstrates that the unity of Moroccans around their constants has always been the strongest weapon in facing challenges.
The commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People is thus an occasion to recall the glories of the past and to draw inspiration from lessons of patriotism and devotion to the homeland. It is also a renewed call to the rising generations to continue the collective commitment to defend a united Morocco,from Tangier to Lagouira.
This commemoration also coincides with the Moroccan people’s celebration of the birthday of King Mohammed VI (August 21),giving the event a deeper dimension that links past to present and reaffirms the continued bearing of the torch of struggle to consolidate national achievements and strengthen territorial integrity.
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