On 24 December 2025, Morocco’s Parliament restructured the country’s press council, giving the government greater control over the media, and representing both a serious setback for press freedom and freedom of expression and a violation of the country’s constitution. Through the adoption of Draft Law No. 26.25, Parliament restructured the National Press Council (Conseil National de la Presse, the Council), primarily by changing the method for selecting its members and expanding its powers. ARTICLE 19 calls on the Constitutional Court to protect freedom of expression and media freedom and rule that Draft Law No. 26.25 is unconstitutional. We further call on authorities to reject the text of the draft law and engage in a transparent, participatory dialogue with media stakeholders to ensure that it is redrafted in compliance with constitutional and international standards regarding freedom of expression.
The National Press Council in Morocco was established in 2016 under Law No. 90.13, which did not fully embrace the self-regulatory model international freedom of expression standards require, starting with the fact that the press council is a statutory body rather than a genuinely self-regulatory one. In addition, while Law No. 90.13 provides for the majority of its members to be elected by journalists and publishers, a minority is appointed rather than elected by their peers. Notably, since its first mandate expired in 2022, the Council has remained paralysed, with no new elections being held due to administrative inaction and political obstruction. Although elections should have been held for the new mandate, the Moroccan government first extended the Council’s term by six months and then, in April 2023, transferred its powers to a temporary committee tasked with overseeing the press and publishing sector for a period of two years.
Law No. 90.13 is already at odds with international standards, but Draft Law No. 26.25 is set to make matters worse. First, the process through which it was adopted warrants serious criticism. Despite unified opposition from journalists’ unions, publishers’ associations, and human rights organisations and bodies, the government pushed Law No. 26.25 through Parliament without participatory consultation with the sector.
A petition has recently been filed challenging Law No. 26.25, requesting that the Court rule on its constitutionality. The Constitutional Court can either endorse the law’s constitutionality or find all or part of it unconstitutional, in which case it will be sent back to the legislative branch. Beyond the adoption process, several provisions of the law raise serious concerns, as they undermine the Council’s mandate and move even further away from a self-regulatory approach.
Erosion of independence
Press council self-regulation is central to media accountability, enabling journalists and media outlets to uphold ethical standards while limiting state interference. It is thus the most appropriate and internationally recognised model for press governance. In line with the self-regulatory model, the press council’s members should be entirely elected by journalists, editors, and representatives of key human rights or consumer associations.
While the composition under the current Law is not perfect given that some members are appointed, Draft law No. 26.25 increases state control by stipulating that the appointment of publishers will be based on size and revenue.
This marks a departure from Law No. 90.13 (2016), and when the majority of both journalists and publishers National Press Council members were elected by their peers.
An additional concern is that under Draft Law No. 26.25 publishers are appointed based on size and revenue (Articles 5, 43, and 44). Basing appointments on financial criteria risks excluding smaller media outlets and therefore minority voices, potentially handing greater power to a handful of dominant voices driven by economic interests, and weakening pluralism and diversity in the media landscape.
Overall, these changes further undermine the principle of an independent press council.
Expansion of the Council’s powers
The press council’s primary role is to act as a mediation body and a ‘Court of Honour’, with authority to impose moral sanctions only. Typically, it does not possess punitive powers beyond those ethical measures. While the previous law had already empowered the press council to impose punitive sanctions – such as the temporary revocation of an individual’s membership to the official journalism association and the imposition of financial penalties – the current draft keeps this power in tact and goes even further.
For example, one provision that has raised serious concerns among media stakeholders is Article 89, which allows the Council to suspend publications for up to 30 days without prior judicial approval. ARTICLE 19 emphasises that permanent or temporary banning of a media outlet is a highly restrictive measure that is rarely justified under international human rights law and must be subject to prior judicial oversight.
A chilling effect on press freedom
The establishment of the Moroccan National Press Council in 2016, once a positive, although imperfect, step towards greater press freedom, has been weakened by persistent state interference. Instead of holding elections in 2022 and strengthening financial resources to ensure the Council’s independence, the authorities introduced measures that effectively paralysed the body, stripping it of its role as a representative oversight mechanism for the sector.
The current situation – a result of administrative and political choices – is set to continue. The pattern of political interference is expected to be repeated because the new press council will be established by the state rather than by the profession itself, as was the case with its predecessor.
ARTICLE 19 considers that the Draft Law in its current form threatens press freedom, independence, and pluralism in Morocco. Introducing the prerogative to suspend publications for up to 30 days without prior judicial approval further risks creating a chilling effect and fostering an atmosphere of self-censorship among journalists and media outlets.
In addition, the composition and representation of the Council as foreseen by the Draft Law would undermine the protection of freedom of expression and the public’s right to receive diverse information and opinions.
ARTICLE 19 urges Moroccan authorities to repeal Law No. 26.25 and engage with media professionals and civil society to establish an independent, self-regulatory Press Council. Its members should be entirely elected by journalists, editors, and representatives of key human rights or consumer associations, and its powers must be limited to advisory and ethical guidance. Sanctions affecting professional status should be removed, with theCouncil relying on moral and professional influence, rather than coercion, in line with Morocco’s constitution and international freedom of expression standards.