King Mohammed VI granted a royal pardon to 907 people convicted by Moroccan courts on the occasion of Morocco’s first commemoration of Unity Day, the Ministry of Justice announced on Friday, October 30.
The breakdown of the pardon
Of the 907 beneficiaries, 613 are detained. Among them, 17 prisoners were pardoned over the remainder of their prison or confinement terms, 595 had their prison or confinement terms reduced, and one prisoner serving a life sentence had it commuted to a fixed-term sentence.
The remaining 294 beneficiaries are at liberty. Of these, 72 were pardoned over their prison sentences or the remaining portions of them, nine were pardoned over their prison terms with their fines maintained, 202 had their fines annulled, and 11 had both their imprisonment terms and their fines annulled.
Why October 31 is Unity Day
Unity Day, or Aid Al Wahda, is Morocco’s newest national holiday. A Royal Cabinet statement on November 4, 2025 designated October 31 as an annual national holiday symbolizing Morocco’s national unity and territorial integrity, days after the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara on October 31 of that year. The same statement said the King would grant royal pardons on the occasion, making this week’s announcement the first under the new celebration.
Western Sahara’s final status remains disputed. Morocco proposes autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front seeks self-determination including the option of independence, a position backed by Algeria.
Royal pardons are customary in Morocco on national and religious holidays. This one was announced a day before the holiday itself, which falls on Saturday, October 31.
Sources: Ministry of Justice statement carried by MAP; Le360 English; Morocco World News; Hespress English.
Featured image: King Mohammed VI. Photo: UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.