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Rabat — The Moroccan government has approved two important draft laws today aimed at strengthening the legal framework governing professional journalism.
Following the weekly cabinet meeting on Thursday, Mustapha Baitas, the government spokesperson and delegate minister responsible for parliamentary relations, explained that these legislative updates seek to modernize the regulation of journalism in Morocco while keeping pace with the evolving media landscape.
The first draft law, Bill No. 27.25, amends and supplements the existing Law No. 89.13 concerning the professional status of journalists. Presented by the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the bill aligns with constitutional provisions safeguarding freedom of expression and the press.
It also respects Morocco’s international commitments on human rights and protects the professional and social rights of journalists.
Baitas emphasized that this reform addresses the profound changes within the media sector, ensuring the legal framework remains relevant and effective. It aims to uphold press freedom while maintaining compliance with legal boundaries and professional ethics.
The second draft law, Bill No. 26.25, focuses on reorganizing the National Press Council (Conseil National de la Presse). Also presented by Minister Bensaid, this law strengthens the council’s alignment with constitutional articles 25, 27, and 28, which guarantee freedom of expression and support the self-regulation of journalism and publishing.
Baitas highlighted that this legislative reform builds on the recommendations of a special committee established under Law No. 15.23 to oversee the press and publishing sector. Its goal is to ensure the council’s ongoing role in self-regulating the profession, promoting journalistic ethics, and safeguarding the sector through democratic and independent mechanisms.
Furthermore, the draft law seeks to consolidate the achievements of Law No. 90.13, enacted in 2016, which affirmed the council’s independent, professional character and its core responsibilities, especially its regulatory authority over press and publishing.
Minister Bensaid also noted Morocco’s progress in media pluralism and freedom of expression over the past two decades.
Earlier this year, he cited the growth of the Moroccan media landscape, which now includes 988 online platforms, 275 newspapers, and 106 international journalists operating in the country.
He described these developments as evidence of Morocco’s democratic advancement. “The press in Morocco alternates between supporting and criticizing the government, which reflects the progress we have made in democracy over the past twenty years,” the minister insisted.
