Morocco Moves into a Phase of “Institutionalizing” Corruption – Rights Activists Warn
RABAT – Moroccan human rights defenders have warned that the country has entered a stage of “institutionalizing” corruption, following recent amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, passed amid a sharp decline in rights and freedoms in the kingdom.
The warning came during a rights-focused seminar organized by the Moroccan Space for Human Rights, aimed at highlighting key provisions in the newly adopted law. The event was attended by prominent figures including Aziz Ghali, former president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, and Mohamed Ennouini, current president of the organizing body.
Participants expressed deep concerns over the controversial law, citing its impact on civil society’s role in combating corruption, the lack of guarantees for fair trials, and imbalances in judicial authority. They criticized what they see as a threat to defense rights, judicial neutrality, and the autonomy of prosecutors and police.
In his remarks, Aziz Ghali emphasized the central role of criminal law in protecting rights and freedoms, warning that the context in which the new law was passed reflects a consensus that Morocco has moved into a phase of codified corruption. He added that the government is seeking to “create an environment conducive to corruption,” referencing the withdrawal of the illicit enrichment bill and the disappearance of the conflict of interest law, as evidence of a lack of political will to fight corruption.
Lawyer Mohamed Ennouini pointed to the rapid passage of the law, which he said undermined proper consultation with stakeholders. He noted that the entire legislative process in the House of Representatives took just four months, compared to other laws that remain stalled for years—such as those governing criminal law and press and publication.
Ennouini stressed that the haste reflects a broader rollback of rights and liberties, marked by authoritarian overreach and government control over the judiciary and public prosecution.
In a related opinion piece, political and human rights activist Abdeslam Fathi argued that the new law undermines trust in justice, promotes authoritarianism, legalizes oppression, and shields corruption. He warned that it sidelines civil society’s oversight role and strips the criminal process of its human rights dimension.
Fathi also criticized the continued lack of genuine political reform in Morocco, pointing to the marginalization of civil society actors, media, educational institutions, and associations from performing their awareness-raising and reform-oriented roles.
The amended Criminal Procedure Code includes several controversial articles, particularly Article 3, which restricts civil society associations from filing complaints related to corruption, embezzlement, and public fund abuse, and Article 7, which prevents victims of certain violations from going directly to court, forcing them through lengthy and complex administrative procedures. Rights groups have condemned these changes as a serious blow to civil society’s role in public accountability and a step toward impunity.
