Morocco’s lawyers will suspend their professional services for a full week starting June 15 after a growing dispute with Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi escalated.
The Association of Moroccan Bar Associations said the nationwide warning strike will run from Monday, June 15, to Sunday, June 21, in protest against what it described as offensive and damaging statements made by the minister about the legal profession and its institutions.
The decision was announced after an open meeting held by the association’s leadership in Rabat.
In a statement, the group accused Ouahbi of repeatedly making remarks that go beyond acceptable criticism and fail to show the respect due to lawyers, their institutions and their role in the justice system.
According to the association, the minister’s latest comments were part of a pattern of public statements that have, over time, undermined the image of the legal profession.
The statement said that the language used by Ouahbi included broad accusations and misleading claims that could damage public trust in lawyers.
The lawyers’ group also criticized comments the minister made in parliament, saying they did not reflect the principles of institutional dialogue and mutual respect.
It described the statements as provocative and said they came at a time when the association was carrying out what it called a responsible campaign to defend the profession’s values and independence.
The association rejected allegations targeting the lawyers’ mutual insurance fund and related institutions, insisting that they operate under the country’s legal framework and are subject to regular monitoring and evaluation.
The association said oversight reports have confirmed the quality of their management and governance.
The association said it will send a formal letter to the head of government Aziz Akhannouch over the controversy. It also tasked its leadership and the lawyers’ mutual fund with communicating directly with the public to counter what it called false claims.
Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi called for legal aid funds to be audited, saying they are public money and should be reviewed by the Supreme Audit Institution.
Ouahbi said the distribution of the funds was uneven. He said about MAD 240 million has been paid through the legal aid system since 2016, with many lawyers receiving less than MAD 3,000 while a small number received much larger payments, including sums worth hundreds of thousands of dirhams.
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