Lawyers' Strike Causes Postponement of High-Profile Trial
The ongoing strike by lawyers in Morocco has led to a significant delay in the trial concerning a high-profile case involving the President of the Taza Regional Council, Abdel-Ilah Baaziz. This case, which centers around allegations of a network engaged in issuing fraudulent invoices and creating shell companies, was scheduled to continue on Friday, July 10, 2026, in the Criminal Court of First Instance in Fez. However, the court has adjourned the proceedings until July 17, 2026, due to the defendants asserting their right to legal representation, which was absent for the second consecutive session due to the lawyers' strike in protest against a proposed law governing the legal profession.
Details of the Case and Implications
During the previous session, the Moroccan state, represented by the Prime Minister, filed civil claims against the accused, demanding compensation exceeding 50 million dirhams solely from the Baaziz brothers. Abdel-Ilah Baaziz, along with ten other defendants, including his siblings, faces serious charges stemming from suspicions of forming a network involved in the issuance of fictitious invoices and the establishment of non-existent companies, following investigations by the regional judicial police in Fez. The public prosecutor had ordered the detention of all suspects, who are currently held at the local prison in Bourkaiz pending their trial in the Criminal Court. The charges against them include fraud, forgery of commercial documents, and participation in tax evasion through the issuance of fake invoices, among other serious allegations, each dependent on the evidence presented against them.
As reported by ar.le360.ma.
