Release of Moroccan Youth

Algerian authorities released a new batch of Moroccan youth on Wednesday at the Maghnia-Oujda border crossing, citing « attempts at irregular migration. »

According to the Moroccan Association for Assistance to Migrants in Distress, this group included about 34 young individuals classified as « missing, imprisoned, and detained candidates for migration, » with over 450 cases in total.

The information shows that these young releasees hail from cities like Fes, Oujda, Taza, Taounate, Zaiou, Jerada, among others, with some having spent over five months in administrative detention.

The association emphasized that this process faces various technical and procedural challenges, which it aims to tackle through international forums, including the recent conference on missing persons and enforced disappearances held in Geneva on January 15-16.

It is noteworthy that this release follows the handover of 36 Moroccan young men by Algerian authorities to Morocco, who were regarded as « candidates for irregular migration. »