Morocco suing lawyer for accusations against national institution

Interior ministry decides to initiate legal proceedings against Mohamed Ziane by filing complaint before court following statements, serious accusations he made against national institution.

RABAT - Morocco’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that it decided to initiate legal proceedings against lawyer Mohamed Ziane by filing a complaint before the Prosecutor's Office at the Rabat Court of First Instance, following the statements and serious accusations he made against a national institution.

“In accordance with the provisions of the kingdom’s constitution, particularly those relating to the guarantee of the rights of litigants, individuals and institutions and within the framework of the concern to implement the legal provisions governing the rule of law and following the statements and serious accusations made by Mohamed Ziane against a national institution, the Interior Ministry decided to initiate legal proceedings against him by filing a complaint before the Public Prosecutor's Office near the court of first instance in Rabat,” said the ministry in a statement.

The ministry said the decision to file a complaint was based on concrete material facts, through which state institutions have been offended by the dissemination of false accusations and allegations, sanctioned by the Penal Code, in particular crimes of contempt of public officials during the exercise of their missions, insulting a constituted body, publication of allegations and false facts and defamation.

It said this recourse to justice emanated from its constitutional duty to protect and enforce the law and to deal with all offenders, whoever they may be, and from its firm commitment to protect its staff against any attack, contempt or defamation of which they could be the target during the exercise of their missions and this, in accordance with the law and within the framework of the strict respect of the constitutional provisions and the legal rules in force.