For general information on the political and economic environment in the country, please click on the link to the U.S. Department of State`s website Countries and Regions. Corruption is illegal. It is a criminal offence for UK nationals or any person ordinarily resident in the UK to bribe a registered body or partnership registered in the UK anywhere in the world. In addition, a commercial organisation operating in the United Kingdom may be held liable for the conduct of a person who is neither a citizen of the United Kingdom nor a resident of the United Kingdom, or of an organization incorporated or incorporated in the United Kingdom. In this case, it does not matter whether the acts or omissions forming part of the offence take place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Morocco improved its score in the World Bank`s 2017 Ease of Doing Business Index, ranking 68th out of 190 countries and moving up 19 places since 2014. A 2013 budget law made improving the business environment a priority to boost foreign investment. The measures included simplifying and standardising 30 administrative procedures, reforming SME and investment charters and setting up one-stop shops for investors. The law does not specifically define domestic violence against women and minors, but the general prohibitions in the Penal Code deal with such violence. From a legal perspective, high-profile offences occur when a victim`s injuries result in a 20-day incapacity for work.

Minor offences occur when a victim`s disability lasts less than 20 days. According to NGOs, courts rarely prosecuted minor offences. Police have been slow to act on domestic violence cases, and the government has generally failed to enforce the law, sometimes sending women back to abusive homes against their will. Police generally treated domestic violence as a social rather than a criminal matter. Physical violence is a legal ground for divorce, although few women report it to the authorities. Human rights issues included allegations of torture by some members of the security forces, although the Government condemned the practice and made considerable efforts to investigate and deal with all reports; allegations of political prisoners; unjustified restrictions on freedom of expression, including the criminalization of defamation and certain content critical of Islam, the monarchy, and the government`s stance on territorial integrity; restrictions on freedom of assembly and association; Corruption; and the criminalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) behaviour. Many employers did not comply with legal provisions on working conditions. The Government has not effectively implemented the basic provisions of the Labour Code, such as the payment of the minimum wage and other basic benefits by the National Social Security Fund. The country`s 394 labour inspectors attempted to monitor working conditions and investigate accidents, but lack of resources prevented effective enforcement of labour laws.

In general, sanctions were not sufficient to deter violations. Links to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for general information on the political environment in the country. The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of everyone to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention before a court. Observers stressed that the police did not always respect these provisions and did not systematically follow due process guarantees, particularly during or after demonstrations. According to NGOs and local groups, police sometimes arrested people without warrants or in civilian clothes. Individuals have the right to challenge the legal basis or arbitrariness of their detention and to seek redress by filing a complaint with the court. The Family Code places the family under the joint responsibility of both spouses, allows divorce by mutual consent and imposes legal limits on polygamy. The implementation of family law reforms remains problematic.

The judiciary was unwilling to implement them, as many judges did not agree with their provisions. Corruption among clerks at the operational level and lack of knowledge of the provisions among lawyers are also obstacles to law enforcement. The constitution provides for an independent judiciary and, as in previous years, NGOs claimed that corruption and extrajudicial interference weakened the independence of the judiciary. The Superior Council of the Judiciary, mandated by the 2011 Constitution, manages courts and day-to-day judicial affairs in place of the Ministry of Justice. The President of the Court of Cassation (the highest court of appeal) presides over the 20-member college. The other members are the President of the First Chamber of the Court of Cassation; the Attorney General (equivalent to the Attorney General); the Ombudsman (national ombudsman); the President of the National Human Rights Commission; 10 members elected by the country`s judges; and five members appointed by the King. In October, the Superior Council of Magistracy set up its internal mechanisms and began to take over the day-to-day administration and supervision of the Ministry of Justice, although the work of the Superior Council of Magistracy was delayed due to administrative and legal obstacles. Although the government stated that the purpose of the Council`s creation was to improve the independence of the judiciary, its impact on the independence of the judiciary was unclear.

According to media and human rights activists, the outcomes of processes in which the government had a strong interest, such as those involving Islam in terms of political life and national security, the legitimacy of the monarchy and Western Sahara, sometimes seemed predetermined. While the constitution stipulates that a person`s home is inviolable and that a search can only take place with a search warrant, authorities sometimes enter homes without judicial authorization, monitor personal movements and private communications – including emails, text messages or other digital communications that are supposed to remain private – and employ informants without trial. Information on the main security and political risks that UK companies may face when operating in Morocco. There are 837 district and district courts with a single lay judge. These were founded in 1974 to make justice more accessible to the people. Judges belong either to the professional judiciary or are elected by a commission chaired by the local political authority. The elected judges are assisted by two elected councillors. [16] These courts adjudicate minor offences and civil cases where the value of the claim is less than $US 110. The 68 courts of first instance have general jurisdiction in civil, social and commercial matters and hear civil and immovable cases. These courts hear criminal cases for minor offences and misdemeanours, as well as offences punishable by imprisonment for more than one month and a fine of more than 1,200 dirhams. In the field of social law, the competence of single judges has been reintroduced. The President of the Court of First Instance is personally responsible for summary and urgent cases as well as unilateral orders.

Serious crimes are investigated by an investigating judge who also has the power to remand a suspect in custody. The 21 courts of appeal hear appeals from the courts of first instance. A court of appeal includes a criminal division that hears offences punishable by death, imprisonment, temporary imprisonment, assigned residence or loss of civil rights. The Trial Chamber is composed of five judges. It also includes an Administrative Offences Division, which decides on appeals lodged by courts of first instance and on orders issued by the investigating judge. The numerical values and status listed above do not reflect the conditions in Western Sahara, which are examined in a separate report. Freedom in the World reports assess the level of political rights and civil liberties in a given geographical area, whether they are affected by the state, non-state actors or foreign powers. Disputed areas are sometimes assessed separately if they meet certain criteria, including boundaries that are stable enough to allow year-to-year comparisons. For more information, see the reporting methodology and FAQ. The law allows the government to criminalize presentations or debates that question the legitimacy of Islam, the legitimacy of the monarchy, state institutions, and the status of Western Sahara.

The law restricts cultural events and academic activities, although the government generally granted more leeway to political and religious activism, which was limited to university campuses. The Ministry of the Interior has approved the appointment of university rectors. Mistreatment of migrants, refugees and stateless persons: Refugees and asylum-seekers as well as migrants were particularly vulnerable to abuse. Smuggling and trafficking in human beings in Europe has increased, partly due to restrictions on migration via the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. However, Moroccan authorities have cooperated with Spanish and European authorities to thwart trafficking networks and arrest traffickers. In 2016, Parliament passed a law to improve the protection of victims. There are reports that government agencies have apprehended or detained migrants, particularly near the landlocked Spanish towns of Melilla and Ceuta, and forcibly relocated them to other parts of the country to deter attempts to enter Spain illegally.