The king of Morocco pardons nearly 20,000 criminals: 'Do you know where they'll end up?'

Morocco has reopened the doors of its prisons. On the occasion of Throne Day, celebrated this July 30, King Mohamed VI has granted a pardon to 19,673 people. This figure includes 2,415 inmates through the ordinary procedure and 17,258 exceptionally released.

The gesture, described by the regime itself as a "humanist initiative," is presented as a show of royal clemency. However, the lack of transparency regarding the criminal profiles of the beneficiaries has rekindled concern in Europe. As on other occasions, there are fears that some of these criminals will end up crossing the border through illegal immigration routes.

Between the humanitarian gesture and the international risk

One of the first to warn about the consequences was Sahrawi political analyst Taleb Alisalem. "Guess where most of these criminals will end up?" he asked on social media. His warning is certainly not unfounded. In the last six years, Morocco has released more than 37,000 inmates, including 66 convicted of terrorism offenses, according to migration and security expert Rubén Pulido.

This systematic practice of pardons—linked to religious festivities and national celebrations—has allowed the release of drug traffickers, thieves, jihadists, and Riffian activists. Many of them have taken advantage of the pardon to flee to Europe, especially through illegal routes. According to FRONTEX sources cited by Pulido, "some of these men admit in interviews that they have recently been released from prison."

In this context, the risk that some of the 19,673 released this July will seek refuge in European territory is high. The challenge of controlling their movements at the border largely falls on Spanish authorities. These authorities, by the way, have been denouncing for years the lack of effective cooperation with Rabat on migration issues. But, as Alisalem has also explained on other occasions, immigration is a geopolitical tool for Morocco.

Spain: the first stop for many

In 2024 alone, more than 64,000 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain, of whom about 8,600 were Moroccans, a figure that represents 13.3% of the total. In the first months of 2025, another 871 Moroccan citizens entered illegally, mostly through the Canary Islands.

The data indicate that 2024 was already exceptional, with nearly 10,000 pardoned, including more than 4,800 cannabis farmers. The trend is not slowing down, and with the massive pardon in July 2025, the Alaouite regime adds a new wave.