Agdz Detention Center

Morocco
1976-1991

“Nobody could utter a word about what was going on inside the castle-jail…”
Like many former castles in the region, the castle of Agdz, built in 1946 by the Governor Lglawi , suggests only luxury, power and prosperity. The inside, however, tells a very different tale. Beginning in 1976, the castle was used as a detention center for criminals. In addition, some prisoners surviving the unrest of 1973 were moved to the center from the secret jail Qasr Tagonit. Five of those prisoners,
including one woman, died there. Other groups of detainees were transferred from police stations in Agadir and Derb Moulay Shrif in Casablanca. These prisoners totaled around 200, including a number of women.
Beginning in 1976, the castle was used to detain kidnapped outlaws. Some jailed survivors were deported from the confidential jail (Qasr Tagonit) in the wake of the events of 1973. Five of those prisoners, including a woman, died there. Other groups of detainees were imported from police stations in Agadir and Derb Moulay Shrif in
Casablanca. The prisoners among these groups totaled around 200 prisoners, including a number of women. Mohammed Rahwi, a first-hand witness, reported that the conditions in the jail were extremely brutal. The tombs of those who perished are found in two sites, the first including 21 graves, and the second containing 11. Most
of the deaths occurred between 1976 and 1977, and were very likely the result of the harsh prison conditions. All those who survived were deported to Kalaat Magouna in 1983.
The barbaric treatment continued outside the prison walls, affecting the neighboring communities. Evening curfews were imposed on surrounding villagers. They were not allowed to use their roofs; their roads were often closed to accommodate the prison. Perhaps above all, nobody was permitted to utter a word about what was
going on inside the castle-jail.

Akziz detainee: a “secret” detainee among a “public detainee”, Hespress, February 25, 2013
Akdz detainee: a “secret” detention center among a “public detention center”,
Hespress, 25 February 2013

Images

The secret detention center in Agdz, Arts of Knowledge, April 05, 2014
The secret detention center in Agdz, Arts of Knowledge, 5 April 2014
Agdez secret detention center, in the province of Zagora, southeast Morocco
Agdez secret detention center, in the province of Zagora, southeast Morocco,Raseef, 26 November 2018
واجهة معتقَل أكدز
Agdz Detainee Interface, Raseef, 26 November 2018