Sekoura

Originally a property of Ait Shiir, a notable family in the area, this former casbah was once used to host meetings on tribal matters. After independence, however, it eventually became a clandestine jail for various groups. The first consisted of the
detainees of Klaat Magouna, transferred in April,1982.
Abdenasser Banou Hashim, a former detainee from this group deported to Skoura, has vivid memories of his imprisonment. He calls his ten days at the prison the hardest of his entire life. Those detained after him were often kept much longer and endured the same inhumane treatment. Many of them were political activists.
As in numerous other cases, the pain that occurred inside the prison seeped out to the surrounding communities. Villagers had to endure the confiscation of their lands, as well as roadblocks around the center. They also had to live with the threat of
punishment themselves if they dared to talk directly or even indirectly about what was going on inside the center. This had a strong psychological, social and economic impact that must also be remembered.