The Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office releases its annual report, highlighting rising criminal activity and a structural shortage of human resources

Based on a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators, the report sheds light on how prosecution offices actually operate while pointing to the structural constraints they continue to face. It shows that a total of 7,940,098 acts were processed during the year, representing an average of 7,635 acts per magistrate, or more than 28 acts per working day. At the same time, the national workforce rose to 1,223 magistrates, up from 1,087 the previous year. Although this is a notable increase, it remains insufficient by comparative standards, with the ratio standing at just three public prosecutors per 100,000 inhabitants.

Heavy criminal caseloads and improved case processing

In terms of judicial activity, prosecution offices handled 497,052 complaints, a figure higher than the number of new complaints received, allowing for a clear reduction in the backlog, which now stands at 66,651 cases, compared with more than 82,000 a year earlier. A total of 2,423,119 police reports were transmitted, almost 95 percent of which were effectively processed. The report points to this as evidence of better management of criminal flows and stronger coordination with the judicial police.

During the referral phase, 664,637 people were brought before prosecutors. Of these, 94,293 were prosecuted with pre-trial detention, representing a rate of 14.19 percent. Detention decisions taken directly by the Public Prosecutor’s Office accounted for 11.61 percent, which the report presents as a sign of restrained and well regulated use of this measure. It also highlights a growing reliance on alternative mechanisms, including 46,309 prosecutions with bail and 15,862 criminal conciliation procedures, helping to better manage the use of detention.

A broad judicial presence, including internationally

Public prosecutors attended 69,450 criminal hearings and filed 115,942 appeals. Their work also extended to civil and family matters, with more than one million acts recorded, in addition to 532,005 authentications of public documents under the Apostille procedure.

On the international front, the Public Prosecutor’s Office handled 322 incoming letters rogatory, 83 extradition requests, and 102 international arrest warrants. These figures, the report notes, confirm the effective integration of Moroccan prosecution services into cross-border cooperation mechanisms and the growing weight of their role internationally.

Fundamental rights, pre-trial detention, and vulnerable groups

A significant section of the report is devoted to monitoring respect for fundamental rights. Prosecutors recorded 150 complaints of alleged violence and seven complaints of acts assimilated to torture, leading to 379 medical examinations. Oversight visits were stepped up, with 22,375 inspections of police custody facilities, 1,116 visits to prisons, and 186 visits to psychiatric institutions, levels described as far exceeding regulatory requirements.

Pre-trial detention now represents 31.79 percent of the prison population, or 105,094 detainees at the end of 2024. The report stresses that this is the lowest rate recorded in the past decade, attributing it to tighter control over the legality of detention decisions and increased scrutiny of procedural time limits.

Regarding the protection of vulnerable groups, cases of violence against women fell to 26,884, while violence against minors involved 9,618 cases, with more than 10,000 individuals prosecuted. Offences related to human trafficking resulted in 155 proceedings, reflecting sustained attention to particularly serious and complex crimes.

Fighting corruption and financial crime

The report also highlights the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s action in protecting public funds. The dedicated hotline received 8,967 calls, leading to the identification of 61 cases of flagrante delicto. The courts examined 874 financial crime cases and 801 money laundering files. Of the 289 judgments issued, nearly 85 percent resulted in convictions, which the report presents as evidence of a firm criminal response to breaches of probity.

Through the depth of its data and the precision of its indicators, the 2024 report portrays an institution under constant pressure from a steadily growing criminal workload, while reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights, and accountability before constitutional institutions.

Editorial team/le7tv