This circular forms part of the efforts of the Presidency of the Public Prosecution to reinforce the legal protection of these groups, which is considered a priority in the implementation of criminal policy. It calls for ensuring proper reception for the individuals concerned, facilitating their access to courts, and giving the necessary attention to their complaints and cases, in accordance with the legal provisions governing the matter.
The circular also stresses the need to supervise and monitor investigations conducted by the judicial police in cases involving these categories, in order to guarantee the best possible conditions of protection. It also recommends the involvement of qualified social workers and the conduct of social inquiries in cases where these individuals are victims of criminal acts.
In addition, the Presidency of the Public Prosecution called for strengthening the role of the support units and committees dedicated to assisting women and children within courts across the Kingdom. This effort is to be carried out in constant coordination with the relevant ministerial departments in order to ensure coherence between different interventions and to provide effective services to these groups, while also dedicating space during meetings of local and regional coordination committees to address their cases.
In this context, emphasis was placed on the need to present legal submissions that align with the legislator’s intent to protect these categories.
The President of the Public Prosecution stressed the importance of these guidelines for ensuring the effective implementation of criminal policy and reinforcing respect for the rights of the concerned groups in Morocco, calling on officials to comply with and apply them, and to inform the presidency of any difficulties that might hinder their implementation.
The circular also recalls that the Constitution of the Kingdom, in Article 34, grants special attention to individuals and groups with specific needs by addressing their issues, encouraging their integration into social and civic life, and facilitating their full enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognized for all.
This approach also aligns with the Kingdom’s respect for its international commitments arising from various international instruments, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as the related international conventions ratified by Morocco.
Among these are the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 2006 and its Optional Protocol, as well as other reference documents such as the United Nations Principles for Older Persons of 1991 and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing of 2002.
Editorial team/le7tv