Internal Affairs, Communes, Housing and Urban Policy Committee Unanimously Ratifies Draft Decree 2.20.292 Enacting Specific Measures to State of Public Health Emergency

The Internal Affairs, Communes, Housing, and Urban Policy Committee convened a meeting chaired by the Committee’s Chairperson Moulay Hicham El M’hajri, and attended by Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit. The meeting was devoted to the examination and vote on draft decree 2.20.292 enacting specific measures to the state of public health emergency.

The members of the Internal Affairs, Communes, Housing, and Urban Policy Committee unanimously approved the draft decree following its presentation by the Minister of Interior, and the comments of the Committee members on the merits and proposals of implementing this text.

In his presentation, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit noted that the draft decree is part of the precautionary measures enforced by public authorities under Article 21 of the Constitution to preserve the safety of Moroccan citizens and territory, with the observance of rights and liberties of citizens.

The draft decree also aims at establishing an adequate legal framework to take the appropriate measures resulting from the enforcement of the state of public health emergency across the country whenever the health and safety of citizens are threatened by the outbreak of contagious diseases and pandemics, and whenever taking urgent precautionary measures to protect them is necessary.

In this respect, the draft decree stipulates taking all necessary measures, during the determined period, and following decrees and regulatory or administrative decisions, or through leaflets or statements, to instantly and urgently intervene to put an end to the outbreak of the pandemic. It also stipulates the mobilization of all available resources to protect peoples’ lives and preserve their safety.

Pursuant to this draft decree, any citizen who disobeys the orders or decisions issued by public authorities in this respect is subject to a sentence of one to three months in jail and a fine of 300 to 1300 dirhams, or subject to one of the two sanctions, without prejudice to the stricter penal punishment. The same penalties apply to any citizen who jeopardizes the implementation of decisions taken by public authorities as the enforcement of this decree, through violence, threat, fraud, or coercion. Is subject to the same sanctions any citizen who unintentionally incites the breach of those decisions through speeches, shouts, threats expressed in public places or assemblies, posters displayed in public, audiovisual or electronic media, or any other means used for this purpose.

Following the Minister’s presentation, the members of the Internal Affairs, Communes, Housing, and Urban Policy Committee, representing all the deputies under the House of Representatives, intervened. In their statements, the members commended the successive initiatives of HM the King, may God protect Him, aiming at preserving the health of citizens and stopping the outbreak of this pandemic. They also expressed their gratitude to HM the King for his constant follow-up of the developments of this situation and his keenness to resolve the social, economic, and security problems caused by this pandemic.

They also lauded the initiative of HM King Mohammed VI, may God glorify Him, in creating a special fund to manage the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, which came to mitigate the economic and social impacts of the precautionary measures, and to develop the health system to put an end to the outbreak of the pandemic. They also hailed the call of HM the King, may God glorify Him, directed to the military health service to engage alongside the civil health service in fighting coronavirus COVID-19.

Besides, the Committee members praised the national cohesion, the solidarity of Moroccan people, the significant mobilization of the various public institutions and security organs, and the engagement of all active parties in the Kingdom in the efforts of supporting the National Fund to Fight the Impacts of Coronavirus.

They also called the government to support the social groups affected by the state of public health emergency, and the economic sector in all its components, currently going through a recession caused by the outbreak of this pandemic.

Additionally, the members of the Committee called the public authorities and security forces to rigorously apply the law without prejudice to the rights and physical integrity of citizens.