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Rabat – Today marks the fourth day in the open-ended hunger strike undertaken by several Moroccan law school graduates, as they protest the handling of the latest bar exam which took place in late 2022, as well as the government’s perceived unresponsiveness to their demands.
The National Committee for Victims of the Bar Exam shared on Facebook pictures of those participating in the strike, who seemed to be in deteriorating health conditions. Widespread videos showed one of the participants being taken to the hospital yesterday to receive medical care.
One of the participants in the hunger strike taken to the hospital
The association has blamed the situation on the government, saying that it had refused to provide practical and reasonable solutions that respond to the demands of the “bar exam victims.”
“When a person puts their life at stake, perhaps this constitutes conclusive evidence that he is subjected to severe injustice,” said the association.
In addition, it has called for the opening of a judicial investigation, arguing that it “can reveal facts that may constitute complete elements of criminal acts that require criminal accountability … and a compensation for the benefit of the affected victims.”
Read also: Bar Exam: Moroccan Law Graduates Suspend Hunger Striker
The controversy surrounding the bar exam began when lists of successful candidates surfaced on the internet. The lists included the family names of affluent and well-known lawyers, such as Abdellatif Ouahbi, Morocco’s Minister of Justice, giving rise to claims of nepotism and biased grading in the exam.
As a result, numerous candidates have taken to the streets to denounce and challenge the exam results, calling for an official investigation into the situation.
At the same time, others have called for the Minister of Justice to resign from his position following his dismissal of the candidates’ concerns.
Law graduates launched a second hunger strike after the government announced its plans to organize a new bar exam by next year, rejecting their demands to cancel the previous exam.
Unsatisfied with the government’s decision, the Moroccan law graduates reiterated their calls for the examination to be re-organized. They also expressed their concerns that “history will repeat itself” during the new exam, referring to the nepotism and favoritism allegations.
