By Mohamed Al-Harawali
The Federation of Young Lawyers' Associations in Morocco announced, from its headquarters in El Jadida, a strongly worded stance regarding what it described as "irresponsible statements" made by the Minister of Justice, against the backdrop of his intervention during the general session of the House of Representatives on January 13, 2026, on the occasion of the presentation and discussion of draft organic law No. 35.24 regarding the determination of the conditions and procedures for challenging the constitutionality of laws.
The Federation clarified, in a statement, that it had followed with great surprise and displeasure the Minister of Justice's statements, which it considered offensive to the right to defense, and not in line with the constitutional responsibilities of a statesman, especially in light of the structural constraints and deep challenges facing the justice sector. The Federal Bureau linked these statements to what was stated in the annual report of the Supreme Council of the Judicial Authority, particularly the data related to the rulings issued by the Court of Cassation regarding appeals filed by the Public Prosecution and lawyers, considering that the use of figures and statistics outside their legal and institutional context contributes to fueling a simplistic discourse that undermines the image of the legal profession and its constitutional role. The statement also recalled the content of the opening speech of the Deputy President of the Supreme Council of the Judicial Authority, on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year, in which he indicated that a number of appeals submitted to the Court of Cassation remain unproductive, while calling for avoiding the submission of non-serious appeals. The Federation considered that invoking this speech, at this particular time, reveals a disturbing consistency with a trend that aims to hold the defense responsible for imbalances that it does not bear alone. The Federation of Young Lawyers' Associations confirmed that the timing of these positions coincides with a delicate circumstance experienced by the legal profession in Morocco, in light of what it considered a "direct and unprecedented targeting" of the defense, in addition to manifestations of systematic restriction, instead of seriously diagnosing the real flaws within the justice system. The statement stressed the need for a clear distinction between the principle of the independence of the judiciary and guaranteeing the right to defense constitutionally guaranteed and supported by international agreements and national legislation, warning against any confusion that may affect judicial security and the rights of litigants. At the end of its statement, the Federation announced to the professional and national public a set of positions, the most prominent of which are: its condemnation of all statements and references that it considered irresponsible and offensive to the defense, whether issued by the Minister of Justice or included in the opening speech for the opening of the judicial year, because of the implications that constitute an infringement on the structure of the legal profession in Morocco. Its affirmation of the pivotal role played by young professionals in the advancement of professional practice, which positively reflects on the justice system as a whole. Its alerting to the contradiction between the call for rationalizing appeals and the constitutional nature of the right to appeal as a mechanism to ensure the proper application of the law and the maintenance of judicial security and the rights of litigants. Its call for full disclosure of appeal data and their outcomes, and the provision of accurate statistics on them, while cutting off abstract quantitative approaches, and adopting a legal and rights-based reading consistent with constitutional principles. Its emphasis that achieving judicial security passes through combating corruption, unifying judicial jurisprudence, speeding up the adjudication of cases, and addressing procedural imbalances, instead of holding the defense responsible for structural malfunctions. The Federation concluded its statement by categorically rejecting any attempt to blame the legal profession for the failure of public policies in reforming the justice system, stressing that the dignity and independence of the profession is a red line that does not accept any transgression, regardless of its source or justification.
