Morocco’s Parliament Addresses Amazigh Name Ban in Historic Tifinagh Question

The question of Ibtissam El Azzaoui (PAM) was addressed to the Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit and concerns the ban on Amazigh first names in civil status registers.

"We have received several complaints about the refusal to register Amazigh first names in civil status registers. In this regard, we are asking you about the reasons for this refusal and the measures taken to ensure the completion of a national list of Amazigh names," writes the deputy.

On several occasions, civil status agents have been accused of systematically refusing Amazigh first names, which the General Directorate of Local Authorities (DGCL) denies each time, arguing that the names are checked for their meaning.