Lawyers from across Morocco gathered in front of the parliament building on a sweltering day to demand the repeal of a controversial draft Code of Civil Procedure law today, Saturday in Rabat.
The draft, which was approved by the House of Representatives last Tuesday, has sparked significant backlash among legal professionals.
Carrying banners denouncing the draft as a “legislative scandal” and a “setback to human rights and constitutional gains,” the protesters were organized by the Association of Lawyers Associations in Morocco. They expressed their discontent with the proposed legislation, which they claim undermines the progress Morocco has made in legal and human rights.
The demonstrators criticized the draft as a “serious retreat” from Morocco’s achievements in human rights and constitutional reforms. They also voiced strong opposition to what they see as an “alienation of the legal profession,” targeting Justice Minister Abdellatif Wehbi with chants such as “The lawyer is free, free, free. The minister must go” and “O minister, you coward! Lawyers are not insulted.”
Hatim Bakkar, a lawyer from Kenitra and a member of the Association of Lawyers in Morocco, described the protest as a historic stand against efforts to undermine the legal profession. Bakkar criticized the draft Code for including provisions that he argues violate the Moroccan constitution and fundamental rights. He urged the government to address the concerns of legal and human rights professionals and to align the legislation with constitutional principles.
“This protest is just one step in our ongoing campaign,” Bakkar said. “We are determined to ensure that the legal rights of Moroccans are protected and that any legislative changes support, rather than hinder, access to justice.”
Khalid Al-Marouni, president of the Moroccan Bar Association, also condemned the draft. He argued that it threatens the right to litigation and imposes discriminatory barriers based on financial considerations. Al-Marouni criticized provisions that link access to justice with fines and penalize those who litigate in bad faith, claiming that these measures undermine equality before the law.
Responding to the Justice Minister’s defense of the draft—characterized as constitutional and aimed at reducing judicial time and eliminating frivolous lawsuits—Al-Marouni questioned its legal validity. He argued that the draft law’s impact on the right to appeal and other core principles raises serious concerns.
In response to criticisms that the protest was driven by professional self-interest, rather than human rights concerns, a spokesperson for the lawyers stressed that the opposition is grounded in principles of fairness and equality. “Our protest is not about defending professional privileges but about ensuring that the draft law upholds human rights and does not discriminate against litigants,” the spokesperson said.
Mohamed Almo, a lawyer from Rabat, emphasized the importance of the Code of Civil Procedure in regulating access to justice. He criticized the draft for being produced without adequate involvement from legal professionals and for containing procedural elements that conflict with constitutional guarantees of a fair trial.
The draft Code of Civil Procedure will continue to be reviewed, and lawyers hope their protest will prompt a re-evaluation of its provisions before it is finalized.
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