Moroccan weeklies banning triggers responses
Morocco, Politics, 12/5/2000

The Moroccan government's decision last Saturday to ban the publishing and circulation of three weeklies triggered responses from various sides, including political parties, associations and the Moroccan press union (SNPM).

The political bureau of the Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS/ in the governmental coalition) denounced the "insane orientation of some press" and deplored the ban.

In a statement issued at the end of two meetings held Saturday and Sunday, the PPS political bureau denounces the "insane orientation of some press in the extremely delicate historical juncture the country is going through, an orientation that meets in no way requirements of the democratic transition" in the country and "firmly deplores the government's resort to banning measures against the three weeklies.

The PPS political bureau said the orientation taken by these weeklies contributes to destabilize Morocco through attempts to question the alternation experience that it described as "consensual and fruitful."

The PPS which voiced concern over the "unhealthy political climate" created by the publishing of a document related "to one of the most perturbed phases of the country's contemporary history" urged the government to "cancel the soonest the banning measures in line with the renovating and reforming democratic choice that is its."

The national press trade union (SNPM) renewed its firm opposition to the use of administrative arsenal to decree the suspension, seizure or ban of a publication, and mainly article 77 of the code of the press.

The SNPM denounced in a communiqué the ban measure and called the government to immediately reconsider its decision, stressing the imperative necessity to resort to justice to decide on press cases.

The government cannot be both judge and judged, the SNPM said, deeming the ban decision as extremely serious, at a time the reform of the code of the press is on the agenda. The union called for vigilance and mobilization to pressure for the adoption of amendments guaranteeing the freedom of the press that should prevail in a state of law.

The SNPM announced the setting up of a follow-up commission and a protest movement on Wednesday in front of the communication ministry in Rabat to decry the ban decision and claim to clean the code of the press from all administrative prerogatives limiting the press freedom.

In the same vein, the Union of Morocco's writers voiced astonishment at the government's decision and said banning papers by an administrative decision (article 77) is no longer justified.

The union which said in a statement that it is up to the justice to handle media disputes denounced irresponsible blunders, from the professional and ethical standpoint, by some papers.

Moroccan association "Alternatives" vice-chairman told 2M TV channel that the ban of a publication must be decided through professional bodies, describing the administrative banning as a practice of another age. He deplored that the concerned weeklies had violated journalistic ethics as they did not back their reporting by interviews and testimonies of persons having lived the events referred to.

The family of the late Driss Slaoui, an adviser to the late king Hassan II, whose name was mentioned in the letter among the persons involved in the 1972 coup d'état, voiced indignation at the contents of the "so-called letter" describing them as "mere false allegations."

"We deem the serious charges against our beloved Driss Slaoui as mere false allegations," wrote Slaoui's widow, his children and close relatives in a statement sent to MAP. They also recalled the late Slaoui's faithfulness and loyalty to the late King Hassan II and his dedication and devotion to his homeland and expressed "their firm resolve to fully exercise their right to obtain redress."

Abderrahim Bouabib's widow, Najat Bouabid, had also announced her intention to fully exercise her right to obtain redress, in view of the serious moral prejudice suffered by the libel published by Le Journal against her late husband.

In a letter that was published last Friday by Liberation daily, Ms Bouabid expressed Bouabid's family trust in the Prime Minister's ability, as first secretary of the USFP, to find the adequate means to face up this insidious and coward campaign.

Previous Stories:
  Government bans three weeklies for attempt to state stability   (12/4/2000)
  King Mohammed holds phone talks with Mauritanian president   (11/20/2000)
  MAP, radio and tv to get an adequate legal framework, minister says   (11/18/2000)

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