(Ecofin Agency) - In the Inezgane lower court, during the opening day of the trial of two young women whose only “crime” is to have worn skirts deemed too short, the public prosecutor finally requested for the lawsuit to be withdrawn, to the general surprise of all.

More than 200 lawyers were present or represented at the procedural opening according to the daily L’Economiste which explained that on her own and as an example, “Ms Khadija Roudani, a barrister in Casablanca represents 118 colleagues from all across the country.”

Outside the court, Human Rights activists and sympathisers faced off with traders come to request “the respect of modesty”.

The stand of the public prosecutor in favour of the two young women however suggests a positive outcome to which the vast grass-roots movement and 20,000 international petition signatures “Wearing a dress is not a crime!” has certainly contributed.