Discount – – King Mohammed VI has granted Abdelkader Belliraj, a Belgian-Moroccanian who was condemned and sentenced to life in prison for leading a radical Islamist network.
His wife, Rachida Hatti, confirmed his release and said AFP on Monday: “My husband was granted. Royal pardon And left the prison last night (Sunday). “
Belliraj was one of the 31 inmates, which were convicted in extremism and terrorism cases and that, according to a declaration by the Ministry of Justice, had officially avoided their beliefs and expressed their commitment to national values.
The ministry did not open the names of this, but emphasized that they had “revised their ideological views and rejected extremism and terrorism”.
Belliraj was arrested in 2008 and was sentenced to life in prison the following year because he led six murders in Belgium in Belgium in the late 80s and early 90s. His judgment was confirmed in the appeal procedure in 2010.
In the same trial, 34 co -accused were given punishments that ranged from suspended prison terms of up to 30 years. Some of them, including political personalities from moderate Islamist parties, received royal pardons in 2011. Human rights lawyers criticized the 2009 mass procedure and referred to “serious violations” of the rights of the accused.
Since 2012, several co-accused, including politicians and journalists, have been published by Royal Pardons for health reasons, while others had completed their sentences. Belliraj remained behind bars until his recent publication of one of the last convicts.
The pardon was part of a wider Royal amnesty Advantages of 1,533 convicted on the occasion of Eid al fitr.
