Morocco king revokes pedophile's pardon

King Mohamed VI of Morocco revoked a pardon Sunday granted to a serial pedophile from Spain after his release sparked angry protests in the kingdom.

It was unclear whether Daniel Galvan Fina, now believed to be in Spain, would be brought back to Morocco.

The king "has decided to withdraw the pardon previously accorded to Daniel Galvan Fina," said the text of the statement, published by the official Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) news agency Sunday.

Fina, who was serving a 30 year sentence, was convicted 18 months ago for raping children aged 4 to 15.

The "exceptional" revocation of the pardon, the statement said, was made considering "the mistakes that characterized the procedure, the gravity of the crimes committed and respect for the rights of the victims."

The statement said the justice minister would discuss "the next step after the pardon's revocation" with Madrid.

Protesters slammed the pardon as "an international shame" with one demonstrator saying the state "defends the rape of Moroccan children".

Saturday, the king ordered an investigation into his release to identify who was responsible for the "negligence" that had led to Fina’s "regrettable" pardon.

Fina was among 48 jailed Spaniards who were pardoned by the king Tuesday at the request of Spain's King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco last month.

Late Friday, baton-wielding police broke up a protest in Rabat by hundreds outraged by the pardon. In running clashes, the police clubbed demonstrators to prevent them from gathering in front of the Moroccan parliament, injuring several people including journalists.

The justice ministry said in a statement Friday the pardons had been issued based on Morocco's national interests and its friendly relations with Spain.

The 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.

Al Jazeera and wire services