Court adjourns to friday trial of weekly editor
Morocco, Politics, 7/10/2003

The first instance court of Rabat on Wednesday adjourned to next Friday the trial of Mustapha Alaoui, editor of "Al Ousboue" weekly, who is sued for publishing a communiqu? by a group that claims responsibility for some of the series of attacks that rocked Casablanca last May 16.

The defense told MAP it has once again requested the provisional release of the journalist, adding that the hearing was adjourned on a request of the general prosecutor "in order to allow for the good unfolding of the trial."

Journalists who converged in large numbers to the court were not allowed access to the courtroom.

Secretary general of the Moroccan press union (SNPM), Younes Moujahid, explained that the journalists' massive presence was not intended to influence the normal unfolding of the trial. Some of them are present to cover the case and others are here to support their colleague, he said.

Alaoui is sued for "dissimulating a document likely to facilitate the ongoing investigation over offenses and circulating false information likely to disturb public order," under article 592 and 593 of the penal law and article 42 of the press code.

The journalist first stood trial on June 20 in the appeal court of Rabat which ruled it was incompetent in this case. On July 3rd, he appeared before the first instance court of Rabat that had also rebuffed the defense's request to grant the defendant temporary release.

The public prosecutor of the Casablanca court of appeal had said in a release that by publishing the statement, which other publications abstained from circulating, Al Ousboue violated the law. He ordered an investigation on circumstances in which the communiqu? reached "Al Ousboue" editor, on its sources and accuracy of the facts it contains.

Previous Stories:
  Trial of Moroccan journalist arrested in connection with casablanca attacks probe adjourned   (7/4/2003)
  Moroccan court starts hearing of journalist arrested in connection with Casablanca attacks probe   (6/21/2003)
  King's human rights commitment goes beyond settling past cases, says chairman of HR council   (3/14/2003)

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