Government Rejects Bill to Protect Cannabis Growers from False Accusations

The government has rejected the bill from the constitutional assembly group aimed at supplementing certain provisions of Law 22-01 on criminal procedure to allow the punishment of the offenses of slanderous denunciation against cannabis growers. Through the voice of the Minister of Justice, Mohamed Ben Abdelkader, the Executive justified its decision by the fact that the penalties provided for in the Penal Code for the offenses of slanderous denunciation are valid for all situations, according to the daily Al Massae.

According to the government, it is therefore not necessary to enact new legal provisions specific to the case of hashish growers. "It is difficult to adhere to this bill at a time when the government is continuing discussions on this issue with several groups," explains Ben Abdelkader, who informs that the project is already in the hands of the General Secretariat of the government. However, the minister assures, this proposal will be discussed when finalizing the draft law on criminal procedure.

The bill had been welcomed by cannabis growers who are the weakest link in this chain that benefits much more to international traffickers.