Within few weeks, Morocco has been able to equip itself with a logistical structure suitable for holding remote trials thanks to the "considerable" efforts made by judges, court officials and prosecutors and lawyers, as well as the remarkable contribution of some instances to the improvement of electronic services, Abdennabaoui said at a national conference held by the Ministry of Justice under the theme "Remote Litigation and the guarantees of a fair trial."

This advance has allowed the courts to process cases without exposing the lives of prisoners to risks, he stated.

Abdennabaoui also welcomed the "tremendous" efforts made by judges, clerks and executives of the registry office as well as lawyers to ensure the conduct of trials in full compliance with the preventive measures in force. This has allowed to hold more than 19,000 trials remotely in one year and to judge more than 370,000 cases.

The First President of the Court of Cassation noted that the promulgation of a law regulating virtual trials gives "beautiful hope" for all those interested in the issue of justice, voicing hope that this text will become a reality in the future to endow the country with an appropriate legal mechanism for holding post-Covid remote trials.

Other circumstances justify the use of remote trials, including the protection of witnesses and whistle-blowers and the distance of prisons from the courts, he said.

According to the official, all these factors consume more time and generate high travel costs, as nearly 800 prisoners are brought daily before the courts in Rabat and more than 1,200 in Casablanca.

The conference was Initiated in partnership and cooperation with the High Council of the Judiciary and the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH).