More than 4,300 people were arrested over the weekend in Morocco for breaching emergency rules in place to combat the novel coronavirus, according to official figures.
More than half of those detained were taken into police custody.
Since mid-March, authorities have arrested 28,701 people across the North African country, 15,545 of whom have been referred to court after being held in custody, according to the country’s national security force DGSN.
Penalties for violating measures in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease include up to three months in jail and fines of up to 1,300 dirhams ($130), or both.
For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.
Morocco imposed a public health state of emergency on March 19, confining everyone to their homes except those with a permit to be out for work.
Last week, authorities made wearing face masks in public obligatory.
Police and security agents supported by soldiers in armoured cars have been deployed around the country, erecting road barriers and control points to enforce the measures.
Morocco has recorded 1,746 COVID-19 cases, with 120 deaths and 196 recoveries. Fewer than 7,000 tests have been carried out.
The largest number of arrests were made in the country’s economic center of Casablanca and the capital Rabat, according to the DGSN.
Isolation measures have proved most challenging in densely populated, working-class neighborhoods, according to local media reports.
Read more:
Coronavirus: Morocco NGO helps poor single mothers amid COVID-19 crisis
Coronavirus: Google data shines light on whether lockdowns worldwide are working
Economic paralysis brought on by the pandemic has left millions of Moroccans in a precarious existence, with the bulk of the workforce made up of informal workers dependent on odd jobs and lacking access to social safety nets.
In the absence of a social database, authorities are working to identify needy families to distribute direct financial aid and food baskets.
Also Read
-
Three Turkish prisoners die of coronavirus, says Justice Minister
Three Turkish prisoners have died from the coronavirus, Turkey’s justice minister said Monday as he announced the first cases of convicts diagnosed ... Coronavirus -
Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry updates curfew movement permit forms
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has updated the forms for movement permits during the curfew which the Kingdom has extended indefinitely.An official ... Coronavirus -
Coronavirus: MENA startups hit as deals plunge 67 pct in March, says report
Startup investment deals in MENA plummeted 67 percent in March as the coronavirus pandemic hits investor appetite, according to a report from startup ... Coronavirus
