The demonstration, organized by the Association of Bar Associations of Morocco (ABAM), came as lawmakers review the draft law in a second reading before the House of Representatives’ Justice, Legislation, and Human Rights Committee after its approval by the House of Councillors.
Lawyers have been on an open-ended strike for the past week, arguing that several provisions in the bill would undermine the independence of the legal profession by increasing the influence of the public prosecution and the Ministry of Justice.
ABAM said the protest was intended to draw lawmakers’ attention to what it described as the imminent adoption of legislation the organization continues to reject in its current form.
The dispute has also been fueled by recent remarks from Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, which lawyers described as “provocative.” They accused the minister of questioning how the legal profession manages funds allocated for legal aid provided to low-income litigants.
“We will not forgive his disrespectful remarks when he asked, ‘Who are they to challenge me?’” Rabat Bar Association President Aziz Rouibah said.
“This is only the beginning of the battle. Surrender is out of the question,” Rouibah said. “We will continue our mobilization and decide, when the time comes, on all legitimate forms of action available to us.”
Rouibah said the profession’s next steps would depend on developments in Parliament, suggesting lawyers could further intensify their protest. ABAM has previously warned that additional measures could include the collective resignation of the legal profession’s representative bodies.
Thursday’s demonstration followed an earlier protest outside Parliament on June 29.
Lawyers say they will maintain their open-ended strike until the government withdraws the bill from the legislative process. In an earlier statement, ABAM said it had extended a strike initially scheduled for June 15-21 because key disagreements with the Ministry of Justice remain unresolved.
