The Bar Association of Morocco stated that it was surprised by the vicious attack by the Minister of Justice of the Akhannouch Government, Abdellatif Ouahbi, on the Bureau of the Assembly. This attack was about slandering the Office of the Bar Association’s President, accusing its members of lying and pursuing great interests, and announcing the closure of the dialogue, something no former Minister of Justice has ever done. The Office also rejected Wahbi’s statements and announced its cessation of all forms of engagement with the Minister of Justice in the current climate.
In a statement issued on Wednesday to Barlaman Today, the Assembly was convened by the president to the headquarters in Rabat on Tuesday, as a reaction to the minister’s statements.
In the communiqué, the Office noted with surprise that it was taken aback by the Minister’s attack on it, at a time when it was awaiting the Minister of Justice’s call for dialogue, to overcome the crisis resulting from his unilateralism in drafting and leaking the draft law of the profession and by announcing the eligibility exam to access the legal profession.
In response to what was considered irresponsible statements issued by the Minister of Justice, his reiteration of the aforementioned, the Office of the Bar Association of Morocco denied unequivocally that the President of the Association had requested the Minister to conduct the qualification examination.
In the same statement, the Bureau of the Assembly expressed its rejection and condemnation of the irresponsible statements made by Ouahbi, in view of the irresponsibility and disrespect of customs in addressing the chairmen of the Morocco Bar, members of the Bureau of the Assembly, and lawyers in general. In addition to, the condemnation and rejection of the slander and accusations made by Ouahbi to the President and members of the Assembly’s Office.
In the same statement, the Assembly called on Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi to be bold and courageous in order to reveal the major interests he had mentioned and to disclose the names of the ones he accused, reiterating its call to the Government to open a serious and responsible dialogue on various subjects related to the justice system in general, and the legal profession in particular, to ensure its independence and immunity.
