Morocco arrests 4,300 people for breaching emergency Coronavirus rules

Over 4,300 people were arrested last weekend in Morocco for breaching emergency rules issued to combat the novel Coronavirus.



Moroccan authorities had announced a public health state of emergency on March 19, confining everyone to their homes except those with a permit to be out for work.



In spite of the order, over 28,701 have been arrested in the country since mid-March. The country's national security force, DGSN disclosed that 15,545 have been referred to court after being held in custody.



DGSN said the largest number of arrests were made in the country's economic centre of Casablanca and the capital Rabat. 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.



AFP reported that last week, authorities made wearing face masks in public obligatory. Morocco has recorded 1,746 Covid-19 cases, with 120 deaths and 196 recoveries. Fewer than 7,000 tests have been carried out.