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The Marrakech Court of First Instance has ruled in favor of a student at the Lycée Victor Hugo, who was prevented from entering because of her hijab. The ruling, handed down on Friday, June 21, requires the Agence de l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger (AEFE) to pay a fine of 500 dirhams per day of non-compliance with the decision, as well as legal costs.
The incident occurred on June 10, when the student was refused access to the school because of internal regulations prohibiting conspicuous religious symbols. The student's mother reacted swiftly, and on June 13 filed an emergency lawsuit to contest the ban.
حكم حديث للمحكمة الابتدائية بمراكش يوم أمس بعد منع مدرسة تابعة للبعثة الفرنسية بالمغرب تلميذة من الدخول إليها بسبب ارتدائها الحجاب :
— Said Maâch??المحامي سعيد معاش (@maach_said) June 22, 2024
بسبب ارتداء تلميذة للحجاب، قامت مدرسة البعثة الفرنسية بمراكش بمنعها من الدخول، بسبب أن النظام الداخلي للمؤسسة يمنع ارتداء اي لباس يتعلق بالمعتقد… pic.twitter.com/s9I9AcgpJP
The AEFE's defense argued that the school's regulations and a 2003 Franco-Moroccan cultural convention justified the action. However, the court found these arguments insufficient, noting the lack of presentation of the internal regulations and the incompatibility of the clauses invoked with specific international conventions (e.g., Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and the Moroccan Constitution, which prohibit all forms of religious discrimination.
The court ordered the school to allow the student to resume classes immediately, stating that the ban on wearing the hijab violated fundamental rights.
This decision is reminiscent of a similar ruling handed down in November 2020 against the Don Bosco private school in Kénitra.
