Honourable Mr Justice Mustapha El Baaj

Judge Counselor, Court of Cassation, Morocco

Honourable Mr Justice Mustapha El Baaj is a prominent Moroccan jurist serving as Judge-Counsellor at the Court of Cassation of Morocco (Criminal Chamber) in Rabat since September 2013. A Doctor of Business Law from the University of Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah (Fès), he also holds a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and has published extensively on corporate and criminal law topics, demonstrating exceptional scholarly contributions. In January 2019, he was elected by the United Nations General Assembly to the roster of judges of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, becoming the first Moroccan judge to serve in that capacity, underscoring his international standing and expertise in transnational criminal justice. His unique combination of domestic supreme court service and international tribunal appointment positions him as a bridge between national and international criminal justice systems. Justice El Baaj’s career exemplifies Morocco’s growing influence in international legal institutions.