Latest news with #Ouahbi
Morocco World
a day ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Ouahbi: Morocco Pioneers Innovative Approach to Combat Organized Crime
Rabat — Morocco is strengthening its fight against transnational organized crime through legislative and institutional innovation, enhanced operational efficiency, and increased international cooperation, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced Thursday at the opening of an international seminar in Rabat. The two-day seminar, organized by the Supreme Council of Judicial Power (CSPJ) in partnership with the French Ministry of Justice, gathered experts and officials to discuss the evolving challenges and strategies in fighting organized crime. In his speech, Minister Ouahbi outlined that Morocco's model is built around four main pillars: legislative and institutional innovation through specialized structures, proactive security measures for operational effectiveness, international cooperation, and scientific and developmental approaches. Highlighting Morocco's progress, the minister noted that the country holds an advanced position in the fight against organized crime, with a score of 4.80 points, below the African average of 5.25 points, reflecting ongoing improvements in this field. On the legislative front, the Ministry of Justice continues to enhance Morocco's legal framework against organized crime by drafting new laws and updating existing ones to counter new criminal tactics. Among these initiatives, Ouahbi mentioned the proposed law on criminal procedure and the establishment of the National Agency for the Recovery and Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets. French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, emphasized the broad impact of organized crime, noting that it extends far beyond criminal justice. He warned that criminal organizations pose a serious threat to societal stability, security, and economic systems worldwide. Lecourtier specifically cited drug and human trafficking, terrorism, and money laundering as major threats that can undermine the rule of law and democratic institutions through corruption and violence. Ambassador Lecourtier stressed that only sustained international cooperation can effectively counter these networks, stating, 'No country, no matter how powerful, can effectively act alone against a globalized organized crime that disregards borders.' He highlighted the strong partnership between Morocco and France as a cornerstone of regional security, recalling the enhanced strategic partnership formalized last October in Rabat by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron. This cooperation continues to deepen judicial collaboration in the fight against organized crime. The seminar, held under the theme 'Organized Crime: Challenges and Shared Responsibilities,' features numerous discussions and panels focusing on topics such as the global threat of organized crime, the evolution of judicial organizations to meet new challenges, strategies for combatting organized crime, evidence-gathering techniques, and the importance of international legal cooperation. Tags: Abdelatif Ouahbicriminal codelaw reformsMinistry of Justice
Morocco World
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Morocco Opens Investigation into Alleged Cyber Attack on Judiciary Council Website
Rabat – The Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Rabat has ordered an official investigation into reports that the website of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary may have been hacked. In a statement on Tuesday, the Prosecutor announced that the decision follows information shared on social media about the alleged cyberattack. Posts claimed that two administrative documents, said to be from the Council, were leaked online. The Public Prosecutor confirmed that the National Brigade of Judicial Police has been tasked with leading the investigation to verify the authenticity of the documents and uncover any potential criminal acts. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the website was truly breached or if the documents are legitimate. The investigation is currently underway. The Algerian hacker group Jabaroot has claimed responsibility for a recent cyberattack on Morocco's Ministry of Justice, saying they accessed sensitive data related to Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, around 5,000 magistrates, and 35,000 judicial officials. This alleged attack follows earlier breaches by Jabaroot on the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and the National Agency for Land Registry (ANCFCC), where they accessed millions of sensitive documents. Jabaroot accused Moroccan authorities of staying silent and inactive despite the hacker group's warnings and the sensitive data they exposed. The group expected the Ministry of Justice and officials to open investigations or respond publicly, but they didn't, which the hackers described as 'complicit silence' or ignoring the issue. They also claim to control the entire digital infrastructure of the Justice Ministry. The group warned it will release more information publicly if no action is taken and suggested Minister Ouahbi should resign if unable to respond effectively. The Ministry of Justice has not commented on the claims.
Ya Biladi
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Algerian group Jabaroot claims hack of Morocco's Justice Ministry
The hacker group Jabaroot, which claims to be based in Algeria, announced a new large-scale cyberattack in Morocco on Sunday, June 9. After previously targeting the CNSS, Morocco's National Social Security Fund and the Tawtik notary platform, the group now says it has breached the IT systems of the Ministry of Justice. In a message posted on its Telegram channel, Jabaroot claims to have obtained «very sensitive» data on Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi and the broader Moroccan judiciary. The group alleges it has accessed a database containing personal information on around 5,000 magistrates and nearly 35,000 employees in the justice sector. The message includes two screenshots as evidence. One appears to show an Excel file listing confidential information about magistrates — including ID numbers, phone numbers, and email addresses. The second shows a magistrate's 2024 salary statement on the letterhead of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), raising fears that internal administrative data may have been compromised. Abdellatif Ouahbi in the Crosshairs The group singled out Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi in its message, calling for a «transparent investigation» into previous cyberattacks on high-ranking Moroccan officials. However, unlike earlier leaks involving top political figures, no documents directly related to Ouahbi have been published. This latest breach marks a further escalation in cyberattacks. Just last week, Jabaroot claimed responsibility for hacking Tawtik, the platform used for digitizing notarial procedures in Morocco. The group published files and documents related to political figures involved in notarial transactions, raising significant alarm. Moroccan authorities have not yet issued an official response to the latest attack. While the authenticity of the leaked files has not been formally verified, the growing number of cyber intrusions is raising serious concerns about the security of the country's critical digital infrastructure.
Morocco World
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Algeria's Jabaroot Targets Justice Ministry in Latest Cyberattack on Moroccan Institutions
Rabat – The Algerian hacker group Jabaroot has claimed responsibility for a new cyberattack targeting Morocco's Ministry of Justice, in what appears to be the latest in a string of breaches against state institutions. In a statement posted Monday to their Telegram channel, the group said it had accessed highly sensitive data linked to Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, along with files concerning roughly 5,000 magistrates and some 35,000 officials across the judicial sector. This latest claim follows similar declarations from Jabaroot in recent weeks. The group previously announced it had infiltrated the systems of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), forcing a temporary shutdown of online services in April. Around the same time, it also claimed to have breached the National Agency for Land Registry, Cadastre and Cartography (ANCFCC), allegedly gaining access to more than 10 million documents, including property certificates, ID cards, bank statements, and notarized records. Jabaroot's tone in Monday's message was pointed. 'Here we are back after a little truce on the occasion of Eid al-Adha!' the statement opened. The group framed its activities as part of a mission to confront political corruption. 'Our main goal by leaking all that data is to raise consciousness among the people of Morocco about the corruption of their leaders and the injustice they are facing every day,' it wrote. The hackers accused Moroccan authorities of turning a blind eye to their previous disclosures. 'Talking about (in)justice, we have noted with a profound astonishment the suspicious and complicit silence and inaction of the government (particularly the Ministry of Justice and all the magistrates of the kingdom led by the Minister of Justice) towards those bombshell revelations (published or not yet),' the message stated. 'All the Justice IT infrastructure is already pawned' Jabaroot said it had hoped to see officials take initiative and open investigations, claiming they would have cooperated. 'The first logical step would have been for Mr. Ouahbi and the kingdom's magistrates to open transparent investigations in which we would have willingly participated by providing more evidence and documents. Instead, they fell into a doubtful and questionable muteness.' The group claims that not only does it hold information about Minister Ouahbi and thousands of individuals within the Moroccan justice system, but that it also controls the Justice Ministry's entire digital infrastructure. 'Hereby, Jabaroot announces that it possesses deep and very sensitive data about: The Minister of Justice Mr. Abdellatif Ouahbi, all the magistrates of the Kingdom (about 5000), most of the justice sector officials (about 35000). Moreover, all the Justice IT infrastructure is already pawned.' The statement closed with a warning and a suggestion. Jabaroot said it would begin its own investigation and release information publicly if no action is taken. 'If nothing is done in this direction, Jabaroot will conduct deeper investigations by itself and inform the public, journalists and opponents in full transparency, with supporting documents.' Addressing the minister himself, the group wrote, 'If Mr. Ouahbi feels that he can't take actions because of pressures or any other reasons, the door is always open for resignation.' The Ministry of Justice has not responded to the allegations. If verified, this would mark one of the most serious digital intrusions involving Morocco's justice system, further fueling concerns over the country's cybersecurity readiness. Tags: Algerian hackerJabarootMorocco cyberattacksMorocco cybersecurity
Morocco World
04-06-2025
- General
- Morocco World
Ouahbi: We Are Negotiating Return of 120 Moroccan Women Detained in Saudi Arabia
Doha – Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi revealed on Tuesday that Morocco is in negotiations with Saudi Arabia for the return of 120 Moroccan women currently detained in the Gulf kingdom. These discussions are taking place as part of broader talks on international judicial cooperation. Speaking before the Commission on Justice, Legislation, Human Rights and Freedoms at the House of Representatives, Ouahbi explained that the Saudi authorities have promised to release the women after the Hajj pilgrimage season ends. 'We have approximately 120 women detained in Saudi Arabia. We are negotiating to bring them back to Morocco,' Ouahbi said during the session dedicated to approving Bill No. 02.23 on civil procedure. The women face various charges, including prostitution, fraud, and smuggling of alcohol and drugs, according to the minister. He noted the humanitarian aspect of these cases, pointing out that 'some of these detained women have children, two of them are suffering from advanced cancer, and others are over 55 years old.' Ouahbi acknowledged that the issue of international rogatory commissions causes him 'psychological problems.' He stated, 'We are currently discussing this matter with Gulf countries to find the optimal solution.' 'The vision is now almost clear, and we are only waiting to reach consensus during the meeting that should bring us together with Arab Justice Ministers this month,' he added. The minister was addressing Article 618 of the civil procedure bill, which stipulates that international rogatory commissions from abroad are executed in the same manner as those issued within the national territory, in accordance with Moroccan legislation and respecting the principle of reciprocity. The article also specifies that rogatory commissions to be executed outside the North African country are transmitted through diplomatic channels, or in accordance with international conventions ratified by Morocco and published in the Official Bulletin. Morocco moves to unify jurisprudence During the same session, Ouahbi discussed Article 407 of the bill, which aims to unify divergent interpretations of the same legal provision. The article allows the First President of the Court of Cassation to submit cases with contradictory final judicial decisions to all chambers of the Court for a binding interpretation decision. Ouahbi criticized the lack of harmonization in jurisprudence, giving an example of inconsistent decisions on cases involving bounced checks. 'Some courts order detention for a check of MAD 2,000 ($200), while others refuse to do so for an amount of MAD 5,000 ($500),' he explained. The minister advocated for these divergences to be submitted to the Court of Cassation so that a uniform jurisprudence becomes binding on all courts in the country. The Commission approved Bill No. 02.23 on civil procedure by 13 votes in favor and 6 against, with no abstentions. Read also: Morocco, Saudi Arabia Advance Judicial Cooperation With New Bilateral Agreements
