Senegal Prisoners Repatriation from Morocco Under Convention: 50 Detainees to Return Home

• A convention signed in 2004 between Senegal and Morocco on assistance to detainees and transfer of convicted persons is set to facilitate the repatriation of Senegalese prisoners from Morocco.
• The ratification of this Convention by the Senegelese government has opened up new avenues for repatriation, with a total of 50 young Senegalese currently detained in Moroccan prisons.
• Families of those incarcerated are urging the Senegelese government to take action and facilitate their loved ones' return, citing lengthy prison terms and irregular emigration attempts as major concerns.

The recent release of the last remaining Senegalese football fans imprisoned in Morocco after the African Cup of Nations incident has sparked hope among parents of compatriots incarcerated in the kingdom. The families, regrouped under the Collectif national des parents de détenus sénégalais du Maroc, are urging the Senegelese Ministry of Justice to lift obstacles hindering the repatriation of their sons. According to sources, a convention signed between Senegal and Morocco in 2004 on assistance to detainees and transfer of convicted persons is set to facilitate the process.

The Convention was ratified by the Senegelese government after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye promulgated a law authorizing its ratification on March 21, 2025. The publication of this law in the Journal officiel de la République du Sénégal on April 19, 2025, has paved the way for the implementation of the Convention.

A total of 50 young Senegalese are currently detained in Moroccan prisons, with most having been sentenced to prison terms related to irregular emigration attempts. According to sources, some have initiated proceedings under the Convention and received favorable responses from Moroccan authorities.

The Convention on assistance to detainees and transfer of convicted persons between Senegal and Morocco was signed in 2004 in Rabat, Morocco. The agreement aims to facilitate assistance to citizens of both countries arrested or imprisoned in either country, as well as the transfer of convicted individuals to their country of origin to serve the remainder of their sentence.

The ratification of this Convention by the Senegelese government has opened up new avenues for repatriation. According to sources, a total of 50 young Senegalese are currently detained in Moroccan prisons, with most having been sentenced to prison terms related to irregular emigration attempts.

A law adopted by the Assemblée nationale on March 11, 2025, and promulgated by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on March 21, 2025, authorized the ratification of the Convention. The publication of this law in the Journal officiel de la République du Sénégal on April 19, 2025, has paved the way for its implementation.

The repatriation of Senegalese prisoners from Morocco is a pressing issue that requires urgent attention. The families of those incarcerated are urging the Senegelese government to take action and facilitate their loved ones' return.

According to Adama Mbengue, president of the Collectif national des parents de détenus sénégalais du Maroc, two public meetings were organized in Rufisque, with massive participation from parents of detainees. Correspondences have also been sent to the ministers of Justice and African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that some prisoners are serving lengthy prison terms, including four individuals sentenced to life imprisonment, four others to sentences ranging from 4 to 30 years, and ten more to sentences between 10 and 15 years.

Lawyers advising clients with family members imprisoned in Morocco should monitor the implementation of the Convention between Senegal and Morocco on assistance to detainees and transfer of convicted persons, which may facilitate the repatriation of their loved ones.

Source: Original reporting via SenePlus