RABAT: Moroccan lawyers announced Friday no let-up in a long-running strike over judicial reforms that have left many litigants without legal representation in court.

Members of Morocco’s Association of Bar Associations went on strike on June 15 in protest at the changes, which they say undermine the independence of lawyers.

The reforms, championed by Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, who is also a lawyer, envisage a thorough overhaul of the profession, including training, financial management and internal governance.

The associations said after a marathon meeting held on Thursday that they would keep up the strike action to force the law to be annulled “in order to defend the independence of the profession, the immunity of the defense, and its organizational autonomy.”

As a result, it would “continue the total suspension of the provision of professional services,” it added.

Moroccan lawyers staged an intermittent strike and a national protest in February.

Tensions eased after the government decided to set up a joint commission to look at the reform proposals but the adoption of the text in a parliamentary committee in mid-May reignited tensions.

The law was eventually passed by parliament.