Date of initial election to the judicial roster: 15 January 2019
Current term: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2026
Judge Mustapha El Baaj has been a Judge of the Mechanism since January 2019. In this capacity, he has been involved in a variety of matters, including as a Single Judge, a member of the Trial Chamber in the Kabuga case, and a member of the Appeals Chamber in the Mladić case.
In addition to his role at the Mechanism, Judge El Baaj has been a Judge at the Court of Cassation in Rabat, Morocco, since 2013. Previously, he served as Deputy Crown Prosecutor-General of Morocco (2008-2013), and as First Deputy Crown Prosecutor in the Court of First Instance in Meknés, Morocco (1996-2008).
Judge El Baaj has also been a visiting Professor at the Law Faculty of Meknés since 2004, and has published numerous articles on diverse legal issues, including domestic criminal law, and commercial and business law.
Judge El Baaj holds a degree in private law (1994), a diploma of advanced studies in business law (2002) and a doctorate in business law (2008) from the University of Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah, Fes, Morocco. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2006 to the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, United States of America. He is fluent in French, English, and Arabic.