King Mohammed VI Thursday pardoned or cut the sentences of 190 detainees, including Islamist political prisoners, on the advice of a rights council set up a month ago as Morocco undertakes reforms.
Only 96 of the group were immediately released with "the others, most of them common-law prisoners, having their sentences substantially reduced," a justice ministry source told AFP.
Among those freed were six Islamists known as moderates, including Mustapha Moatassim, head of the Al Badil Al Hadari (Civilised Alternative) party that was dissolved by government decree in 2008.
They had been sentenced as part of a case against Belgian-Moroccan Abdelkader Belliraj, convicted of running a terrorist network and sentenced to life in prison in July 2010.
"I hope for the release of all prisoners unfairly sentenced. It is a new page at a time when Morocco is reconciling with itself," one of the six, Mohamed Merouani, told AFP.
Also on the list of people benefitting from the royal pardon was rights activist Chakib El-Khyari, sentenced to three years in prison in February 2009 for having accused officials of involvement in drug-trafficking.
Others were around 14 Muslims from the hardline Salafist sect, including sheiks Ahmed Fizazi and Abdelkrim Chadli.
Absent was Frenchman Pierre Robert who was accused of involvement in the May 2003 bombings in Casablanca that killed 45 people, including 12 suicide attackers, and wounded scores. He was sentenced to life.
"The case of Mr Robert is being examined for a possible pardon," said Mohammed Sebbar, secretary general of National Human Rights Council (CNDH) which had recommended the pardons to the king.
King Mohammed VI established the council in early March, replacing an existing body that had a purely consultative role.
This came after February 20 demonstrations attended by tens of thousands of people who called for reform as a wave of similar protests swept the Arab world.
The monarch also announced plans for other reforms, including increasing government and judicial independence from the royal power, and established a commission tasked with proposing changes to the constitution by June.
The pro-reform movement has however kept up the pressure, calling new nationwide protests for April 24.
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