A. Latif Baraka: Heba Press
After 11 days of open strike, the Association of Bar Associations in Morocco decided today, Monday, to suspend its strike and return to the courts to carry out its duties, following the outcomes of the meeting that brought together the Bar Associations in Morocco with the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Wehbe, two days ago.
The Association of Bar Associations in Morocco said, in a statement, copies of which are available to Heba Press, that its office decided to suspend the decision to completely stop performing defense duties, starting from today’s date, and starting work tomorrow, Tuesday, in all Moroccan courts.
The association explained that this decision came from the office’s desire to interact positively with “the initial positive, tangible indicators from the Ministry of Justice, aimed at establishing the foundations of trust and the spirit of cooperation and integration between it and the association, with the Minister of Justice’s public affirmation of the legal status of the legal profession and its role within the justice system, and his commitment.” Adopting what the two parties will agree on.”
The report revealed that the first meeting of the Dialogue Committee was held today, Monday, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice. It was the committee agreed upon during the meeting between the lawyers and the Minister of Justice, the day before yesterday, Saturday, indicating that the meeting witnessed the establishment of thematic committees and the institutionalization of the dialogue between the association and the ministry through a specific timetable. The meeting will begin. Download it starting Friday, November 15th.
During the same meeting, the report adds, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice handed over the draft laws to the President of Friday, while the latter handed him the integrated requirements file related to the professional law, the draft civil procedure law, the judicial assistance file, and the general mutual file for lawyers’ associations in Morocco, in addition to the tax file.
According to the same source, the topics that will be studied regarding these files have been identified, in addition to the digitization and modernization file and the draft criminal procedure law.
Thus, everyone has breathed a sigh of relief from the real crisis that the Kingdom’s courts have experienced, some of which have reached tensions and friction between the lawyers themselves, due to the attendance of some at the sessions despite the continuation of the open strike.
