MOROCCO: JOURNALISTS ON TRIAL FOR CRITICISING LIBYAN LEADER
Five Moroccan journalists are facing trial in Casablanca for "publicly
harming" Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and "hurting his dignity", report the
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) and the Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The Libyan embassy in Rabat submitted a complaint to the public prosecutor
against three Moroccan papers - "Al-Masaa", "Al-Garida Al-Oula" and
"Moroccan Events" - accusing them of publishing articles criticising Qaddafi
or referring to him in a way which the Libyan embassy claims is
unacceptable.
Under Morocco's press law, the journalists face up to one year in jail and
fines of up to 100,000 Dirhams (US$12,090) if convicted on the defamation
charges.
"It seems that President Qaddafi, after overthrowing press freedom in Libya,
has started to focus his attention and experience on prosecuting Arab
journalists outside his country. We must stand by these journalists, in
order to preserve what is left of press freedom in the Arab world," said
ANHRI.
The case stems from articles published by the three independent dailies in
2008 and early 2009. In an opinion piece headlined "We and the Arab
Maghreb", Ali Anouzla, editor of the daily "Al-Jarida Al-Oula", criticised
Qaddafi, describing how he seized power following a military coup 40 years
ago.
Editor Mohamed Brini and reporter Mokhtar al-Ghizeawy, both from the daily
"Al-Ahdath Al-Magrebia" are facing charges for three articles, including a
story on the arrest of the leader's youngest son and daughter-in-law in
Geneva for allegedly assaulting a Moroccan servant and Tunisian maid,
reports CPJ.
"We only published critical stories. Moroccan journalists struggled over the
past decades to widen the margin of press freedom. It is unacceptable to see
the Moroccan authorities yield to external pressure and influence and take
us to court," Brini told CPJ, which sent a monitor to court on 18 May.
Rachid Niny, editor of "Al-Massae", and Younes Meskini, a former reporter
for the paper, face charges for quoting former minister of communication,
Larbi Messari, as saying that "the positions taken by Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez are similar to the Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's childish
positions," Meskini, the author, told CPJ.
According to ANHRI, Qaddafi has previously pursued legal action against
Arabic journalists through his embassies abroad. He has gone after the
Algerian newspaper "Al-Shorouq", as well as the Egyptian papers "Sawt
el-Omma" and "Al-Doustour" and the Saudi newspaper "Al-Watan".
In May 2007, CPJ concluded that Morocco was one of the world's worst
backsliders on press freedom. That year, high-ranking Moroccan officials
told a CPJ delegation that they were reforming the press law to ease the
most onerous restrictions. But to date, little progress has been made toward
bringing the law in line with international standards for free expression.
Journalists continue to be judicially harassed, silenced and assaulted, says
CPJ.
Related stories on IFEX.org:
- Five journalists face charges of defaming Libyan President:
http://www.ifex.org/morocco/2009/05/22/journalists_face_charges/
--------------------------------------------------------
The "IFEX Communiqué" is the weekly newsletter of the International Freedom
of Expression eXchange (IFEX), a global network of 80 organisations working
to defend and promote the right to free expression. IFEX is managed by
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression ( http://www.cjfe.org ).
The "IFEX Communiqué" is also available in French, Spanish, Russian (
http://www.ifex.cjes.ru/ ) and Arabic ( http://anhri.net/ifex/ ).
The views expressed in the "IFEX Communiqué" are the sole responsibility of
the sources to which they are attributed.
The "IFEX Communiqué" grants permission for its material to be reproduced or
republished provided it is credited as the source.
Contact IFEX Online Editor Natasha Grzincic at: communique (@) ifex.org
Mailing Address: 555 Richmond Street West, #1101, PO Box 407, Toronto,
Ontario M5V 3B1 Canada, Tel: +1 416 515 9622; Fax: +1 416 515 7879;
Website: http://www.ifex.org
-------------------------------------------------------
----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info
0 comments:
Post a Comment