Rights association denies involvement in occupation of MAP office in paris
Morocco-France, Politics, 6/26/2003

The France-based association of human rights in Morocco (ASDHOM) said it was not involved in any way in the occupation of the Paris office of the Moroccan news agency (MAP), and denied having decided or participated in this act.

"ASDHOM has not, in any way and at any moment, taken part and/or conducted the action against MAP office on June 20 in Paris," the association said in a release sent to MAP.

Last Friday, MAP journalists working in the Paris office were surprised by a mob of persons who, claiming to be members of a committee to support Moroccan imprisoned journalist, Ali Lmrabet, broke into the newsroom, jostling on their way one of the news staff. They engaged in provocative behaviors against the head of MAP office in Paris, Ms. Hasna Daoudi, who was calmly trying to explain the inadmissibility of such action against "journalists who have nothing to do with a sentence handed out in a sovereign country."

For ASDHOM that says it is actually member of a committee to support Lmrabet who was sentenced by the appeal court to 3 years in prison for charges of offense to the king and endangering Morocco's national integrity, actions of this kind are not consistent with the ethics observed by the association since its creation in 1984.

France said on Monday it "regrets" the occupation of the Moroccan news agency office in Paris." The action was decried by the Moroccan Press Union (SNPM) as "an unacceptable behavior."

MAP lodged a lawsuit with the Paris authorities.

Previous Stories:
  MAP office in Paris savagely assaulted by group claiming to support moroccan imprisoned journalist   (6/21/2003)
  Morocco's prime minister meets French president   (6/17/2003)
  Moroccan journalist gets 4-year prison sentence for libel   (5/22/2003)
  Director of two banned weeklies to sue government   (12/5/2000)

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