HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
With the draft law on the legal profession approaching its referral to Parliament during the spring session, the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Wahbi, has once again stirred controversy with statements in which he criticized the positions of some lawyers, accusing them of refraining from playing their role in assisting the judiciary, amidst an ongoing discussion about reforming the justice system.
The Minister affirmed that the draft law was prepared in accordance with a participatory approach that included various bar associations, with a focus on adapting it to the constitution and guarantees of a fair trial, considering it a qualitative step to enhance the position of defense and develop the profession. In contrast, tensions emerged after the professional bodies expressed their reservations about some of the project's contents, before escalating through work stoppages, which the ministry considered a breach of professional duty. Despite this tension, the process returned to the negotiating table during the past weeks, after the announcement of the resumption of communication between the government and representatives of lawyers, with a view to making potential amendments to the text before its final presentation to the legislative institution. This project is expected to be a pivotal point in the path of justice reform in Morocco, amid anticipation of the outcome of the consensus between the various concerned parties.
