With red armbands firmly wrapped around their sleeves, Moroccan lawyers in an indefinite strike once again gathered outside Parliament in Rabat on Monday, July 6. The collective protest shows no sign of waning as legal professionals escalate their opposition to the proposed bill regulating their profession, branding it a ‘democratic setback’ and demanding its outright withdrawal.
The sea of black robes at the demonstration underscored the gravity of their concerns. Lawyers argue that the draft law undermines their independence from the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice, particularly through proposed disciplinary measures. They also criticize the transfer of training authority to the Ministry of Justice and new eligibility rules, including lowering the age requirement for the qualification exam.
Last Thursday, another gathering outside Parliament saw representatives of the legal community issue a stern warning. ‘The fight has only just begun,’ they declared, vowing to intensify their campaign until the bill is scrapped.
Aziz Rouibah, Dean of the Rabat Bar Association, stressed the existential threat posed by the legislation. ‘Our very existence is at stake,’ he warned, accusing unnamed actors of attempting a ‘symbolic execution of the legal profession.’ ‘Confronting this legislative assault is not just necessary—it is our moral duty,’ he asserted.
Me Mounir Belghiti, a member of the Rabat Bar Council, framed the ongoing protest as a ‘final appeal’ to lawmakers. He urged that future legislation reflect ‘the nation’s interests and future,’ rather than being driven by ‘personal grievances.’ For him, this standoff represents a crisis of confidence: ‘If we allow legislation to be tailored for exceptions rather than consensus, we erode a cornerstone of democracy.’
The debate over the bill is set to continue this week in the Chamber of Advisors. If amendments are adopted, the text will return to the Justice Commission of the Chamber of Representatives for further review.
In the meantime, Morocco’s courts remain paralyzed by the indefinite strike. The disruption has left many litigants in limbo, with pretrial detainees facing delayed hearings for nearly a month.
The Association des barreaux du Maroc (ABAM)—also known as the National Association of Moroccan Bar Associations—unites all the country’s legal orders under one umbrella.
