Abdelilah Benkirane

Articles

• Former Moroccan PM Benkirane Advocates for Implementing Death Penalty
  20 February 2021, by Sylvanus

  Abdelillah Benkirane, former head of the Moroccan government, says he is in favor of executing those sentenced to death. He claims to owe a debt of gratitude to the Moroccan justice system for maintaining it.
  "I salute the Moroccan justice system and the Moroccan legislator because they have maintained the death penalty, and I think it should be applied. Why do we imprison the condemned person for life, torture him and torture ourselves? The verse says: ’It is in retaliation that you will (…)

• Morocco’s Former PM Opposes Cannabis Legalization, Cites Public Safety Concerns
  26 February 2021, by Ginette

  In reaction to the draft law on the legalization of cannabis which was to be examined on Thursday, February 25 in the Council of Government, before being postponed, Abdelilah Benkirane joined the debate by posting on his Facebook page a video dating back to April 2016. In this excerpt from the speech he had given before activists in Salé, the former head of government had addressed the issue, accusing the PAM officials, who were calling for the legalization of cannabis, of hiding behind the (…)

• Former Moroccan PM Threatens to Quit Party Over Medical Cannabis Bill
  2 March 2021, by Sylvanus

  The former head of government, Abdelilah Benkirane, threatens to leave the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) if the deputies of his party adopt the bill relating to the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
  "If the general secretariat of the PJD or the PJD parliamentary group votes in favor of the bill relating to the medical or other use of cannabis, I will definitively leave the party," the former secretary general of the Lamp party told Le360. "If one of them votes for it, I will (…)

• Morocco’s Cannabis Legalization Bill Divides Ruling Party, Sparks National Debate
  5 March 2021, by Prince

  The Government Council examined this Thursday the draft law on the legal use of cannabis. A text that has sparked a lively political and social debate and is about to shake the cohesion of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD).
  The draft law on the legal use of cannabis has sparked a passionate political and social debate that is already jeopardizing the unity of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD), of which the head of government, Saad Eddine El Othmani, is a member.
  The (…)

• Morocco Approves Bill to Legalize Cannabis for Medical and Industrial Use
  11 March 2021, by Bladi.net

  This text, examined for the 3rd consecutive time, aims to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic purposes. It also provides for the establishment of a National Agency that will be exclusively responsible for implementing the state strategy regarding the cultivation of Indian hemp, its processing, marketing, export or import for medical, pharmaceutical or industrial needs.
  According to the text of the law, this structure will be the sole interlocutor of international bodies (…)

• Former Moroccan PM Freezes Party Ties Over Cannabis Legalization Bill
  11 March 2021, by Bladi.net

  A few hours after the adoption of the draft law legalizing the use of cannabis, Abdelilah Benkirane, former head of government, has carried out his threat. As he had promised, the former leader of the PJD will freeze his membership in the party of the lamp.
  In a letter relayed on his Facebook page, the former PJD Chief indicated that in addition to freezing his activities, he is suspending all relations with the head of government Saâddedine El Othmani as well as with other PJD officials, (…)

• Former Moroccan PM Benkirane Reverses Decision to Leave PJD Party
  19 March 2021, by Sylvanus

  Abdelilah Benkirane, former head of government and secretary general of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) has renounced leaving the party and breaking ties with certain members.
  "Following the request of my two brothers, Professor Abderrahim Chikhi and Dr. Azeddine Toufik, I renounce my decision to break ties with the people mentioned in a previous press release," he wrote in a message posted on his Facebook page. This announcement comes a few days before the PJD national council (…)

• Former Moroccan PM’s Leaked Audio Opposes Cannabis Legalization Bill
  22 March 2021, by Sylvanus

  An audio recording of the former head of government Abdelilah Benkirane on the draft law 13-21 relating to the legal use of cannabis was inadvertently broadcast in a private group including party leaders before being deleted. Mohammed Yatim, former secretary general of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD), committed this imprudence.
  In this audio recording, Abdelilah Benkirane called on PJD activists to stand up against the draft law 13-21 on the legal use of cannabis, reports the (…)

• Former Moroccan PM Benkirane Urged to Run in 2021 Elections by PJD Party Members
  14 April 2021, by Jérôme

  For the 2021 legislative elections in Morocco, the leaders and youth of the PJD party are demanding the candidacy of Abdelilah Benkirane. In their eyes, he represents the best card to defeat those of the party’s opponents.
  Many are putting pressure within the PJD for the return to the political scene of Abdelilah Benkirane. According to some heavyweights of the party and the members of the Chabiba, the youth movement of the PJD party, in order to confront the opponents who have formed a (…)

• Morocco’s PJD Denies Rumors of El Othmani Resignation Over Cannabis Bill
  12 May 2021, by Jonas

  The parliamentary group of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) has denied the rumor that the party’s secretary general, Saâd-Eddine El Othmani, would likely resign if Islamist MPs voted against the adoption of the bill on the legalization of cannabis.
  Saâd-Eddine El Othmani in no way threatened to resign in the event that Islamist MPs voted against the bill on the lawful use of cannabis, said PJD deputies. They were responding to the publication of a media that had mentioned the (…)