Morocco reforms press code
Morocco, Politics, 6/29/2001

A government council meeting, chaired by premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, adopted on Thursday a draft law amending the press code Dahir (Royal decree).

Briefing reporters on the amendments, Morocco's communication and culture minister listed a series of amendments, assuring that they were proposed to match progress in the Moroccan society and progress in democracy and human rights practices. He added the reforms are also dictated by the need of a better management of new information technologies, a good usage of its advantages while averting mis-usage.

He said the new proposed amendments include: consecration of the freedom of publishing, edition and diffusion of books and publications, renewal of the right to information for all citizens, the right of all the media to have access to information sources without restriction, the obligation for the media and journalists to respect the constitution principles, law provisions, the code of ethics and observe accuracy and honesty in reporting.

It also stipulates that authorities should deliver a provisional receipt soon after a new paper application is submitted and to deliver a final receipt within 15 days. Other reforms proposed include the need for all press bodies to guarantee transparency of their financial management, by publishing once a year details of their accounts.

Banning a newspaper henceforth falls within the competence of justice in case of offenses mentioned in article 41 of the press code while the seizure of a paper by the interior ministry has to be surrounded by some guarantees, mainly substantiating the decision, and securing the right to resort to justice which has to make its ruling in 24 hours.

Imprisonment sentences were cancelled for several offences and reduced for others.

Previous Stories:
  Banned weeklies get publishing authorization   (1/15/2001)
  Press union flatly turns down draft press code   (12/19/2000)
  Cabinet council debates draft public freedoms law   (12/15/2000)
  Weeklies ban still sparks responses   (12/6/2000)
  Code of public freedoms shall be reformed, King Mohammed asserts   (11/7/2000)
  Press code amendments to be adopted late July   (7/20/2000)

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