Morocco Orders First Electronic Ankle Monitor in Bad Check Case

Rabat – Morocco has, for the first time, placed a suspect under electronic monitoring in a bad check case, marking the implementation of new legal provisions that allow the use of electronic ankle monitors as part of judicial supervision.

The Court of First Instance in Casablanca issued the landmark order under amendments introduced by Law No. 71.24, which revised Morocco’s Commercial Code. The legislation authorizes courts, in specific circumstances, to place individuals facing prosecution under electronic surveillance instead of pretrial detention, provided they meet the legal requirements.

The measure is designed to ensure that defendants comply with judicial obligations, appear before the authorities when required, and have the opportunity to regularize their legal and financial situation while remaining at liberty.

According to judicial authorities, the decision reflects Morocco’s broader effort to modernize its criminal justice system by balancing the rights of check holders, maintaining confidence in commercial transactions, and reducing reliance on custodial measures whenever legal guarantees permit. The approach aligns with the country’s constitutional principles and ongoing reforms in criminal policy.

The order was issued and overseen by Jamal Lahrour, First Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of First Instance, who supervised the legal procedures required for its implementation.

Authorities emphasized that the electronic ankle monitor used in this case is not a criminal sentence or an alternative punishment under Morocco’s law on alternative sanctions. Instead, it is a judicial supervision measure applied during the investigation or prosecution phase, before any final judgment has been issued.

Under the court’s order, the suspect must remain within a designated geographical area, comply with court-imposed residence or presence schedules, appear before judicial authorities whenever summoned, and refrain from removing, damaging, or tampering with the electronic monitoring device.

Implementation of the measure has been entrusted to the Aïn Sebaâ 2 Local Prison authorities, who are responsible for fitting the electronic bracelet, activating the monitoring system, and overseeing compliance with the court’s conditions in coordination with the Public Prosecution Service and judicial police.

The decision marks the first known application of electronic judicial monitoring in a commercial case in Morocco and represents a significant step in the country’s use of technology to expand alternatives to pretrial detention while safeguarding judicial oversight.