The Supreme Council of the Judicial Power terminated the tenure of Judge Afif El Bakkali, who served as the Deputy Prosecutor at the First Instance Court in Errachidia due to his vocal stance against “corruption” on his Facebook account.
El Bakkali said that he had previously alerted the council to “certain irregularities” within the Laayoune First Instance Court.
Expressing astonishment, the ousted judge said that he was unexpectedly transferred from the Laayoune First Instance Court to the Errachidia First Instance Court.
The judge noted that this decision was a blatant violation of Article 77 of the Judges’ Fundamental Law, which mandates the Supreme Judicial Council to consider geographical proximity of judges.
Elaborating further, Al Bakkali said in a Facebook post, “It seems the respected Supreme Judicial Council wasn’t satisfied with just transferring me as a punishment. Instead, they took further disciplinary actions, leading to the severe consequence of suspension. In essence, it’s a way of isolating me but in a different form.”
The council reportedly confronted Al Bakkali with a series of social media posts deemed to be “directed against the Deputy Prosecutor in Laayoune.”
The judge justified the posts by saying that they merely reflect his principles such as accountability, responsibility, integrity, neutrality, and the fight against corruption.
In response to this decision, the Moroccan Judges’ Club noted a palpable decline in the overall professional security sentiment among judges.
The club expressed concerns in a statement about the increasing use of disciplinary measures for judicial errors. Errors which the club said can be corrected through legal appeals onr matters that do not constitute professional misconduct.
The club further added that the prescribed penalties should be proportionate to actions, emphasizing the need to adhere to legal standards as outlined in Article 99 of the Judges’ Fundamental Law.
The Club has decided to refer what it called concerns over professional security of the judges, including the case of Afif Al Bakkali, to the National Council of the Moroccan Judges’ Club.
The council is scheduled to convene on December 16, 2023, to explore ways to address these issues and issue relevant recommendations.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.