Moroccan prisoners held in Iraq are still waiting to be transferred home nearly a year after Morocco and Iraq signed an agreement meant to allow them to serve the rest of their sentences in Morocco.
The agreement, signed last August by Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi and his Iraqi counterpart Khaled Chouani, was expected to end years of uncertainty for families of Moroccan detainees in Iraqi prisons.
Hespress previously reported, citing information from Morocco’s Justice Ministry, that the planned transfer would cover nine Moroccan detainees, including two women, as well as relatives and children. The process was to be carried out under legal mechanisms agreed by the two countries.
But the delay has renewed concern among families, especially as several detainees face deteriorating health conditions after long periods in prison.
Abdelaziz El Bakkali, general coordinator of the Coordination of Families of Moroccan Detainees and Missing Persons in Iraq, told Hespress that older detainees and their families are increasingly worried by the lack of progress.
He said some prisoners have spent more than 20 years in Iraqi prisons and had viewed the agreement as the final step toward returning to Morocco. The delay, he said, has caused frustration inside prisons and among families awaiting reunification.
El Bakkali said the coordination group continues to receive appeals from detainees, including prisoners suffering from chronic illnesses or age related health problems.
He cited particular concern over the condition of Moroccan detainees Leila El Kasmi and Ibtissam El Houzi, held at Al Rusafa prison, saying both suffer from several health problems and are in a “tragic” situation.
The families urged Moroccan and Iraqi authorities to accelerate implementation of the agreement, saying the f
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