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Morocco considers suspending Spain extradition deal over handover issues
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Morocco considers suspending Spain extradition deal over handover issues

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Morocco is considering suspending its extradition agreement with Spain, citing issues with the handover of individuals wanted by Moroccan courts.
  • Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi stated that Spain sometimes fails to deliver requested individuals, claiming they were at liberty, which Morocco finds unacceptable.
  • Ouahbi warned that if Spain does not respect extradition and repatriation procedures, Morocco may suspend the agreement, also linking the issue to delays in repatriating unaccompanied minors.

Morocco's Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced that the government is contemplating the suspension of its extradition agreement with Spain. The primary reason cited for this potential move is Spain's alleged failure to consistently hand over individuals requested by Moroccan courts.

We are debating now in the Ministry of Justice the possibility of suspending the application of the extradition agreement between Morocco and Spain.

— Abdellatif OuahbiMoroccan Minister of Justice stating the government's consideration of suspending the extradition agreement.

Ouahbi explained that while Morocco detains individuals requested by Spain and sends agents to escort them, Spain sometimes fails to deliver the requested persons. He described these instances, where Spain claims the individual was at liberty, as "incomprehensible." He contrasted this with Morocco's practice of extraditing all individuals requested by Spain.

We also apply the same procedure, while we do deliver all the people the Spaniards request the extradition of.

— Abdellatif OuahbiHighlighting Morocco's adherence to extradition requests from Spain in contrast to perceived Spanish shortcomings.

The minister emphasized that Morocco expects Spain to treat extradition procedures with seriousness. He warned that Morocco will not tolerate operations where individuals are to be handed over but ultimately are not. Ouahbi specifically mentioned situations where Moroccan security agents are sent to airports for transfers that do not occur as planned.

We cannot send our agents to receive the people whose extradition is requested and then it does not happen with the argument that they did not show up at the scheduled time for the plane's departure from the airport.

— Abdellatif OuahbiExplaining the practical difficulties and frustrations encountered in the extradition process with Spain.

Furthermore, Ouahbi linked the potential suspension of the agreement to delays in Spain's repatriation of unaccompanied Moroccan minors. He stated that if Spain continues to disregard both extradition and repatriation procedures, Morocco might suspend the agreement. This declaration comes amid broader discussions about the repatriation of minors entering Spain irregularly.

If Spain does not want to respect the delivery procedures nor the repatriation procedures, we can suspend these agreements.

— Abdellatif OuahbiIssuing a direct warning about the potential consequences for Spain if procedures are not followed.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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