The Bar Association of Morocco has decided to discontinue work on November 1st in all courts of the Kingdom, with protests to be held starting at 11 AM.
The statement issued on Thursday also put the blame for the current crises and tensions afflicting the sector on Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi.
The statement also stresses on the rejection of the legal developments contained in the draft finance law of 2023 about the establishment and taxation of lawyers and civil companies of lawyers, due to the negative effects on litigants, and its contradiction with the principles of the profession and constitutional provisions.
In this context, the Bar Association of Morocco’s bureau demanded that the government withdraw the new provisions of next year’s draft financial law and postpone the debate on the tax system of lawyers until the adoption of the participatory approach through joint committees established for this purpose between professional institutions and relevant government agencies.
Amid this state, the association itself reaffirmed in its statement the intention to set a program of struggle, in order to counter unilateral decisions directed against the legal profession.
This comes after the decision of the Morocco Judges’ Club to boycott a national symposium organized by the Ministry of Justice on Friday under the theme of “Equality and justice in the Moroccan family”, accusing Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi of missing the principle of participatory democracy.
In its press release, Adala Association expressed its principled and unconditional support of the association’s position and all other professional regulatory and youth frameworks, rejecting the draft leaked law. In addition to announcing their solidarity with all forms of struggle to be undertaken and announcing their participation in them.
They also mentioned launching an advocacy campaign for the independence of lawyers by creating a civil rights front to support the struggles of Morocco’s Bar Association and other regulatory frameworks.
Moreover, they expressed the intention to organize round tables on meaningful and comprehensive reform of the law governing the legal profession and the tax law to ensure tax justice and protect the right of vulnerable groups to access justice. Adding to that the preparation and submission of an advocacy note to all relevant authorities.