Mohammed VI pardons 1,484 people on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha

1. Particularities of the Eid Al-Adha festival

King Mohammed VI of Morocco announced the pardon of 1,484 people, including 1,209 in prison, on the occasion of the Feast of Sacrifice (Eid Al-Adha), a celebration of great importance for Muslims, which coincides with the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Moroccan Ministry of Justice announced the prison situation of more than 1,200 people pardoned on the occasion of this Muslim holiday.

One of these people was sentenced to life imprisonment and his sentence will now be reduced to a limited period. Meanwhile, 114 other prisoners also had their remaining prison sentences commuted to direct release.

The vast majority of them, 1,094 people, saw their prison sentences reduced, according to the official Moroccan news agency MAP.

The beneficiaries of the royal pardon who are free are 275 people, distributed as follows:

• Pardon of the prison sentence or the remainder of the sentence for the benefit of 69 people.
• Pardon of the prison sentence with maintenance of the fine for the benefit of 6 people.
• Pardon of fine for the benefit of 189 people.
• Pardon of prison sentence and fine for the benefit of 9 people.
• Thanks to penalty of fine and the rest of the imprisonment for the benefit of two people.

Particularities of the Eid Al-Adha festival

Eid Al-Adha is one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar and commemorates Ibrahim (Abraham)'s willingness to sacrifice his son as a sign of obedience to God. The festival is marked by prayers, celebrations and charitable giving.

In the Moroccan kingdom, it is customary for people to wear traditional clothing such as “jellaba” and “balgha” (traditional shoes), while children are often given new clothes for the occasion.

On the morning of Eid, men, women and children gather in mosques or open-air prayer areas called “musallas” to participate in Eid prayers.

The act of sacrificing a sheep, goat or cow takes on special significance during Eid Al-Adha, as it symbolizes obedience and the willingness to make sacrifices in accordance with one's faith.

People warmly embrace each other and exchange greetings with the phrase “Eid Mubarak,” which means “Have a blessed Eid.”

Gifts to children and visits to friends and relatives are also typical of this holiday.

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