King Mohammed deepens protection of citizens and economy through reform of justice
Morocco, Judicial, 1/30/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI announced this Wednesday a package of measures to reform justice meant to promote the economic development of Morocco, improve standards of official public conduct, improve the material and professional situation of judges and justice staff and guarantee the dignity of prisoners.

The king announced the comprehensive reform plan in a speech opening the judiciary year.

The king, who stressed that "an independent, honest and efficient justice comforts the supremacy of the law and guarantees the confidence and safety of persons and property," said the new judiciary year will "usher in new stages in the ongoing process to reform the judiciary system." The sovereign also insisted on the role of justice in promoting development, encouraging investment and consolidating stability and democracy.

The king called for diversifying settlement procedures of eventual disputes between partners in economic transactions and set up the commercial arbitration law so that justice is able to cope with the challenges of globalization and of economic competition and contribute to attracting foreign investments.

As part of the justice reform plan, the sovereign said the Special Court of Justice, a special jurisdiction set up in 1972 to rule on charges of corruption, trading of influence and public or private property skimming against executives or magistrates, should be reconsidered.

He explained that there is a need to set in place "a jurisdiction specialized in financial offenses, in order to improve standards of public life, protect public finances against all kinds of corrupt practices and engrain in the minds the culture and ethics of accountability."

"Our objective is to create a specialized justice that, in addition to an efficient settlement of disputes, will guarantee the right to a fair trial and to citizens' equality before the law in all circumstances and in all cases," he said.

Regarding family code cases, the sovereign announced that he instructed the government to study the creation of a Family Solidarity Fund that will be financed by returns of stamps, of a symbolic value, affixed on (administrative) documents related to the personal and family statute.

He explained that "the Fund's disbursements will be allocated according to rigorous criteria in order to guarantee the rights of poorest mothers and protect children who risk to be abandoned following the divorce of their parents."

The justice minister was further instructed to open family-justice sections in Morocco's major tribunals and speed the training of judges specialized in family cases.

The situation of prisoners is another component of the justice reform plan, as the king announced that he will grant his pardon to a special category of prisoners for humanitarian reasons: inmates suffering from incurable diseases, pregnant and breastfeeding women and talented children. Projects to build modern, civil and rural prison compounds and to see to the improvement of prisoners' material and moral conditions were also announced.

For justice staff and magistrates, the reform program, as outlined by King Mohammed VI, includes the creation of a welfare foundation to cater for the material conditions of magistrates, justice clerks, and the justice ministry staff. In addition, an association of justice staff and the revision of the statute of clerks are also envisioned.

The king further stressed the need for "a sound and modern training" of judges and of all those working in justice-related fields.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco wants to have reliable, independent justice   (12/21/2002)
  Moroccan NGO cites overcrowding as major problem in Moroccan jails   (9/13/2002)
  King Mohammed receives four new members to Constitutional Council   (6/14/2002)

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