Morocco sees creation of specialized courts rather than courts of exception

Morocco said Thursday it ponders the creation of specialized courts rather than courts of exception.

The statement was made by Justice Minister, Mohamed Bouzoubaa, who said his department is studying means to set in motion instructions made recently by King Mohammed VI regarding the Special Court of Justice.

King Mohammed VI called last week on the government to study the situation of the Special Court of Justice, a jurisdiction set up in 1972 to rule on charges of corruption, trading of influence and public or private property skimming against executives or magistrates.

He stressed the need to "set in place a jurisdiction specialized in financial offenses, in order to moralize 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.

Bouzoubaa said the Justice Department is studying means to implement the King's instructions "on the creation of specialized courts and not jurisdictions of exception."

The Minister wondered whether prerogatives in matters of financial offenses should fall under the scope of the authority of a single national specialized court or of that of courts of appeal.