Spain, Morocco discuss fate of pardoned paedophile

Spain, Morocco discuss fate of pardoned paedophile

MADRID - Spain said Monday it was in talks with Morocco on the fate of a Spanish paedophile who had his pardon revoked after it sparked angry protests in the north African country.

King Mohamed VI of Morocco on Sunday revoked a pardon granted to Daniel Galvan Vina, who was convicted of raping 11 children aged between four and 15 and sentenced in September 2011 to 30 years in prison in Morocco.

"After the last statement by the king of Morocco which revoked the pardon, the Spanish and Moroccan ministries of justice are in contact to decide what to do, how to proceed now," a Spanish foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP.

Galvan was among 48 Spanish prisoners who was pardoned by the king and freed last week from jail in response to a request from Spanish King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco in mid-July.

Galvan is in Spain but at an unknown location, the Spanish foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

"According to the latest information we have, he is in Spain, but we do not know where," she said, adding that he could be in Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the northern tip of Morocco.

Spanish daily El Pais said he arrived in Ceuta on Thursday.

A royal palace statement said the king had been unaware of the nature of Galvan's crimes and had ordered a probe into his release.

The pardon sparked outrage in the north African country, which has seen several high-profile paedophile arrests in recent months.

On Friday night, baton-wielding police dispersed several thousand people who tried to protest in front of the parliament in Rabat.

Sit-ins planned for Casablanca on Tuesday and Rabat on Wednesday were still due to go ahead.

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