Lawyers return to courts in Morocco after a 4-month hiatus

About 19,000 lawyers in Morocco returned to the courts starting on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after the Association of Bar Associations in Morocco decided to suspend its judicial boycott, which lasted about four months, in protest against Law No. 66.23 on the regulation of the legal profession. Return includes all types of criminal, civil, commercial, social and family cases, in addition to defending detainees in the framework of pretrial detention. Background: Law 66.23 Law 66.23 came into force by virtue of the Honorable Dahir No. 1.26.75 issued on August 18, 2026, after its publication in the Official Gazette No. 7536 dated August 20, 2026. The lawyers consider that the text threatens the independence of the profession and the powers of its professional bodies, which prompted the association to suspend the pleadings in the courts over the past months. Minister of Justice Abdul Latif Wahbi is the initiator of this law. Temporary return does not waive demands The Association of Bar Associations explained that the decision to resume work is a "temporary suspension" of the province, not a waiver of professional demands. The decision comes after The legislative elections of 23 September 2026 and the ongoing negotiations to form the next government, as the Assembly wants to open a dialogue with the new government team on possible amendments to the law, instead of continuing the boycott in a period in which there is no clear government party to negotiate with. Prominent files being appealed The return of lawyers means the resumption of a number of trials that have been repeatedly postponed during the standstill period. Notable among them are the trial of Jonathan Haroche in Casablanca on October 13, the case of "Escobar of the Sahara" on October 16 in the same city, and the case of Rida Abakarim aka"Turbo", and the appeal trial of singer May in Tangier after being postponed several times. The case of the sale of university degrees in Marrakech also resumes on October 8, while the October 20 hearing is set for the trial of the collapse of two buildings in Fez, which led to the death of 22 people in December 2025. Why does this decision matter to litigants? The impact of the judicial suspension over the past months directly on thousands of litigants through Moroccan courts, due to the repeated postponement of hearings and the disruption of defense pleadings, especially for detainees In the context of pre-trial detention who have been affected by the absence of their lawyer. The return of about 19,000 lawyers brings life back to the path of justice in criminal and civil cases alike, while the dispute over Law 66.23 itself remains unresolved, and is subject to upcoming negotiations with the next government.