Rabat: Launch of a Training Program for Prisoners in Traditional Crafts and Implementation of Alternative Sentences
On Tuesday, the capital Rabat witnessed the signing of a special action program for training prisoners in traditional crafts for the year 2025, alongside a framework agreement for the implementation of legislation related to alternative sentences. This step reflects a shift towards a new approach for reintegrating prisoners and enhancing alternatives to custodial sentences.
The training program in traditional crafts is a result of a partnership between the General Delegation for the Management of Prisons and Reintegration, the Ministry of Small Enterprises, Handicrafts, and Social Economy, and the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Reintegration of Prisoners. The initiative aims to expand the training offerings within correctional facilities, tailored to the needs and educational levels of inmates, while also considering the demands of the labor market in the traditional craft sector.
During 2025, a total of 832 male and female inmates across 25 correctional facilities will benefit from this program through training in 19 traditional crafts, thereby providing them with greater opportunities for social reintegration upon their release.
The second framework agreement pertains to the implementation of Law No. 43.22 on alternative sentences, particularly community service, which serves as a new mechanism that came into effect last August and marks a significant turning point in the national criminal policy.
Mohamed Saleh Tamak, the General Delegate for Prison Management and Reintegration, confirmed that the training offerings for prisoners have significantly evolved in recent years, both in terms of the institutions involved and the variety of crafts included. He stated that these efforts demonstrate the desire to make prisons spaces for rehabilitation and learning. He added that incorporating alternative sentences into the criminal policy represents a qualitative addition that contributes to the actual reintegration of the convicted individuals.
For his part, Lahcen Saidi, the State Secretary in charge of handicrafts, social and solidarity economy, praised the efforts of the General Delegation and the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Reintegration of Prisoners, highlighting that expanding offerings in traditional crafts not only supports social integration but also helps preserve national heritage and provides skilled labor for the traditional craft sector.
It is noteworthy that this program is part of the practical activation of the agreement signed in 2016, which established the foundations for institutional cooperation to develop training and reintegration programs inside Moroccan prisons.
