(RSF/IFEX) – On 22 March 2002, RSF protested against a new press law in Morocco that it said was “a serious threat to press freedom.” “It is unacceptable that under [the new law] a journalist could be jailed for five years for a simple media offence,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard, calling for the law’s […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 22 March 2002, RSF protested against a new press law in Morocco that it said was “a serious threat to press freedom.” “It is unacceptable that under [the new law] a journalist could be jailed for five years for a simple media offence,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard, calling for the law’s amendment to guarantee press freedom.
RSF notes that in a 18 December 2000 report, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Abid Hussain urged all governments to ensure that media offences were not punished by imprisonment, except for those offences involving racist or discriminatory remarks or appeals for violence. He added that imprisonment for peacefully expressing an opinion was a serious violation of human rights.
The new law retains jail terms for insulting the king and royal princes and princesses and those convicted can be imprisoned for three to five years, compared to five to twenty years under the old law.
Article 29 retains the government’s right to ban Moroccan or foreign newspapers if they “undermine Islam, the monarchy, national territorial integrity or public order”. The law also says the government must give reasons for seizing or banning local or foreign newspapers. In 2001, nine newspapers, including seven foreign publications, were censored for reporting on topics such as the Western Sahara, corruption and the king.
Members of parliament approved the new law on 12 March and it will be considered by the upper chamber, the House of Councillors, in the next few weeks.
RSF also expressed concern about the de facto sacking of journalist Younès Moujahid from the daily “El Ittihad el Ichtiraki”. Aides of Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who is managing editor of the newspaper, told the journalist, who is also secretary-general of the national press trade union (SNMP), that he did not appreciate his criticism of the country’s counter espionage service, the DST, and criticisms of the new press law. Moujahid has not been paid or asked to write any articles since February.
