HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The President of the Rabat Bar Association, Professor Aziz Rabih, issued a strongly worded statement in which he strongly condemned what was included in an audio-visual recording circulating on social media platforms, documenting moments from the work of the temporary committee for the management of the press and publishing sector, on the occasion of its holding of a disciplinary council against journalist Hamid al-Mahdawi.
This statement comes after the submission of detailed reports to the Bar Association by the lawyers who were subjected to "attacks" and "insults, insults, and contempt with words that demean human dignity" during their performance of their legal duties.
Official accusation of committing a criminal offense
The Rabat Bar Association recorded, based on the data contained in the reports, that "what was issued by the aforementioned temporary committee of offensive expressions towards lawyers during their performance of their duties and because of them constitutes a crime with established pillars and conditions stipulated in Article 263 of the Penal Code."
This legal description is a remarkable escalation in the Bar Association's position, as the matter moves from being a mere professional or administrative dispute to an official accusation of committing a clear violation of a legal text.
"Deep-seated hatred" for defense rights
The Bar Association's statement was not limited to the legal aspect, but also touched on the behaviors that characterized the work of the committee, describing them as "persisting in contempt for the defense."
The Bar Association indicated that the way lawyers were dealt with, from "forcing them to wait in a provocative and inappropriate manner" to "excluding them to prevent them from performing their duties with excuses that constitute an unacceptable exception," reflects "a psychological state that harbors deep-seated hatred for the rights of the defense."
The Bar Association described the expressions that were issued as "their expressions were erased from the dictionary of the vernacular language that is not appropriate for the institutions, constitution, and reputation of our country."
Pledge to protect lawyers and initiate the necessary procedures
In conclusion, the president and the council affirmed their responsibility and their sacred duty to protect male and female lawyers, and to confront any attempt to dominate or oppress them.
The statement stressed that the Bar Association "will confront with all maturity, responsibility, and strength what was issued by the temporary press committee of offense to the message of defense." President Aziz Rabih also pledged that the Bar Association "will initiate the necessary procedures and the necessary initiatives to vindicate our colleagues, our profession, and our esteemed body."
Those following professional and judicial affairs are awaiting the practical steps that the Rabat Bar Association will take in the coming days, in light of its emphasis on protecting the message of defense and vindicating the affected lawyers.
