Moroccan King revokes pardon of Spanish paedophile

RABAT. Morocco’s King Mohamed VI has revoked a pardon granted to a Spanish paedophile.The king “has decided to withdraw the pardon previously accorded to Daniel Galvan Fina,” said a statement published Sunday by the MAP news agency. The statement said the “exceptional” decision was taken because of the “gravity of the crimes committed and out of respect for the victims’ rights.” In September 2011, Vina was sentenced to a 30-year jail term after being convicted by criminal courts in Kenitra near Rabat of raping and filming 11 children between four and 15 years old. The paedophile, said to be in his 60s, was among the 48 jailed Spaniards who were pardoned by the Moroccan king on Tuesday at the request of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco last month.However, his release outraged the Moroccan society, as protests erupted in many cities across the country.In a statement on Saturday, King Mohamed VI said he ordered “that a deep investigation be conducted in order to determine responsibilities and loopholes that might have entailed this regrettable release, identify the one or those responsible for this neglect and take the needed sanctions.” But the Moroccan government said the man had been expelled to Spain. The Spanish Foreign Ministry also confirmed Saturday that he was on Spanish territory. It was unclear if Spanish authorities would arrest or extradite the convicted paedophile to Morocco. Morocco’s justice minister would discuss with his Spanish counterpart “the next step after the pardon’s revocation,” said the statement. The Moroccan king often pardons prisoners on special occasions, such as Throne Day last Tuesday, but the decision to release the Spaniards at the request of the monarch of a former colonial power riled many Moroccans. Moroccan activists said they were planning more demonstrations in the coming days.