By Said Temsamani
Morocco World News
Washington, August 6, 2013
The Royal statement relating to the case of the pardoned Spanish pedophile Daniel Galvan came at just the right moment. This exercise was intended to clarify the context of the legal measures that went into the pardon process. The aim of this was to emphasize the fact that King Mohammed VI was never informed about the atrocious crimes for which this odious Spanish criminal was convicted. After learning of his crimes and witnessing the outrage that such a decision provoked in both Morocco and the world, the King revoked his pardon of the Spanish pedophile. It was the first time in recent memory that a Moroccan sovereign had reversed a pardon.
Daniel Galvan’s name was on a list of 48 Spanish nationals convicted of various crimes committed in Morocco. When the King issued the pardon, it was for this entire list of individuals.
In making the decision to investigate the matter to determine and punish those responsible for this debacle, the King has made his position clear: no one is above the law and such heinous crimes will not be tolerated in Morocco.
The Royal message was unequivocal and to the point: Morocco does not intend to abandon the prosecution against this dangerous criminal, in line with universal principles of law and justice. The royal office, in a statement carried by the Moroccan state news agency on Monday, said an inquiry concluded Galvan's release was due to failures in the prison administration and that its director, Hafid Benhachem, had been relieved of his duties.
In addition, the royal decision to initiate a discussion on the conditions for granting royal pardons is occurring in the context of a much larger debate on reforming the national judicial system.
Apart from the indignant and legitimate reactions of a number of Moroccan citizens who rightfully drew attention to the problem, some malicious individuals and groups insidiously sought to exploit this issue to achieve vile objectives unrelated to the pardon for the criminal. Their slogans hint at their true intentions. These same media outlets, who were largely rejected by the Moroccan people, unsuccessfully attempted to derail the constitutional reforms that have strengthened the rule of law in Morocco and made this country an example to follow in the Arab world.
Other foreign hostile environments, among others, Spain and Algeria, as well as some media outlets known for their propensity to attack Morocco at every opportunity, have also tried to use this case to try to harm the exemplary relations that bind the Kingdoms of Spain and Morocco.
In fact, in spearheading a series of bold and ambitious measures in the wake of this crisis, the Sovereign has proven that he understands the aspirations and concerns of the Moroccan people. King Mohammed VI has once again shown that he remains the main bulwark against injustices, as well as the main guarantor of human rights and social welfare in Morocco.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
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