Surveillance Camera Inspections Intensify Across Morocco
In a significant move to enhance public safety and uphold legal standards, authorities across various regions of Morocco have initiated inspections targeting illegally installed surveillance cameras on public property. Reports indicate that these cameras have been affixed to street lighting poles and other communal infrastructures without obtaining the necessary legal approvals. The provincial authorities in regions including Casablanca Settat, Rabat Salé Kénitra, Marrakech Safi, and Tangier Tetouan Al Hoceima are at the forefront of this crackdown, having launched thorough checks following numerous reports highlighting a disturbing trend of unauthorized surveillance installations.
According to sources, local officials have emphasized the need for municipalities to deploy administrative police units to dismantle non-compliant cameras. This action particularly concerns devices that have been installed by private security personnel on communal properties, raising serious concerns about adherence to Morocco’s personal data protection laws. In a notable twist, it has come to light that some municipalities themselves are implicated in the installation of these cameras without prior consent from the National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection (CNDP).
The CNDP has established clear guidelines indicating that video surveillance systems are subject to personal data protection regulations, which necessitate specific compliance protocols. This includes the requirement for prior authorization or a formal declaration, depending on the circumstances surrounding the installation. As the inspections continue, authorities are reminding local councils of their legal obligations, ensuring that personal privacy is respected while maintaining public safety measures.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
