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Rabat – Abdelilah Benkirane, the current Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and former head of government has once again criticized Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi for his proposed reforms on “individual freedom,” particularly those related to consensual sexual relations outside marriage.
In a video-recorded statement released on Friday, Benkirane expressed his concerns regarding the implications of similar regulations, particularly the risk of hotels becoming hubs for immoral activities.
“This video contains a congratulatory message to (Minister of Justice) Mr. Ouahbi. I would like to congratulate him and his political party (PAM) on the recent achievements they have made,” Benkirane said.
Describing Ouhabi’s proposed initiative as an “accomplishment” to critique the minister, Benkirane further emphasized that advocating for the elimination of marriage contracts during hotel check-ins could facilitate immoral relationships.
In May, Ouahbi —who also serves as the Secretary General of the Authenticity and Modernity Party —lashed out at hotels demanding marriage contracts from guests.
“Isn’t this a violation of their privacy? What is the legal basis for this request?” Ouahbi stated at a parliamentary session, adding that “if the law does not explicitly require it, then demanding it is illegal.”
In response, Benkirane said that Ouahbi was able to “score a goal in the project that he is seeking to introduce, which he named a consensual sexual relationship.”
Noting that he has no “decisive opinion” on the matter of hotel regulations, Benkirane said that requiring marriage contracts from guests “prevented some people from committing adultery and marital infidelity.”
Benkirane also demanded clarification from Ouahbi regarding his “exact intentions,” expressing doubts that the Minister of Justice acts based on his personal beliefs.
“I don’t know where you want to go with this,” Benkirane said, recalling recent arrests after some hotels recently allowed people to book rooms without providing the marriage contract.
“Some hotels complied with the minister’s request and were lenient in allowing people to enter, but they found law enforcement officers waiting to arrest them for engaging in immoral activities and preparing a den for immorality, as the criminal law is still in effect,” he added.
Benkirane’s recent remarks come amid an ongoing heated debate, with PJD standing firm against Ouahbi’s proposed individual freedom reforms.
This is not the first time that Benkirane or his party lashed out at the minister.
Earlier in June, the Women’s Wing of the PJD publicly denounced the recent proposal to ban the requirement for women to present marriage contracts for hotel stays.
PJD’s women wing described the proposal as “irresponsible.”
