Moroccan lawyers and the Association of Bar Associations began an open sit-in before the parliament building in Rabat on Monday [1].
The protest marks a critical escalation in a dispute over a proposed law regulating the legal profession. Lawyers said the legislation threatens the independence and immunity of the defense, potentially altering the balance of power within the judicial system.
This action follows a period of sustained unrest. The movement has entered its fourth week of a national strike [2]. The sit-in follows a large demonstration held on Friday, July 3, in which thousands of lawyers gathered in front of the parliament [3].
The protesters are demanding a reconsideration of the draft law. They said that the current proposal undermines the professional autonomy necessary for lawyers to represent their clients without state interference, a cornerstone of the legal profession in Morocco.
Representatives from the Association of Bar Associations have coordinated the effort to bring visibility to their grievances. The sit-in is intended to pressure lawmakers to amend the text of the law before it is finalized and implemented.
“The movement has entered its fourth week of a national strike.”
The confrontation between the Moroccan government and the legal community highlights a tension between state efforts to regulate the judiciary and the profession's demand for autonomy. If the government refuses to amend the law, the prolonged national strike could lead to a significant backlog in the court system, impacting both criminal and civil proceedings across the country.
