Commission on defamation of political figures to act as advisory body, Minister
Morocco, Politics, 4/30/2004

The Moroccan minister of communication on Thursday insisted that the new Government commission to probe defamation against past and present political figures, set up by the Prime Minister, will act as an "advisory body"

Nabil Benabdallah told the daily "Assahra Al-Maghribiya," that this commission was created to debate issues related to the political and media life, insisting that its main goal is to trigger a debate on this issue as it will only act as a "purely advisory body."

The decision to create the ministerial commission was taken following recent allegations against a government member by the Moroccan weekly "Akhbar Al Ousboua," in an article titled "homosexuality and the political class," accusing Minister of Finance and Privatization Fathallah Oualalou of "homosexual behaviour."

Benabdallah insisted on the need not to grant an "exaggerated importance" to this issue to avoid giving the impression that the Government intends to harm the media or use it as a pretext to take measures against it, noting that the said commission has not yet met and even when it meets, discussions will be limited to "an exchange of viewpoints on those issues."

In reaction to the creation of this commission, Abdelmounaim Dilami, chairman of the Moroccan Federation of newspapers editors (FMEJ), said that while the government has the right to set up such a commission, it latter should not violate the constitution provisions regarding the media.

He was echoed by Younes Moujahid, Secretary General of the journalists Union "Syndicat National de la presse marocaine" (SNPM), who insisted that the "Moroccan law does not grant the right to any ministerial commission to interfere with the profession" of journalists.

He noted that the majority of the newspapers in Morocco "respect the deontology of the profession."

The announcement of the setting up of this commission was made by Moroccan Minister of Justice Mohamed Bouzoubaa, on Tuesday during the weekly question time session at the House of Advisors' (Senate).

Bouzoubaa said this issue was raised during the cabinet meeting during which the Prime Minister decided to set up a commission comprising ministers "whose prerogatives are in relation with this case."

He said some newspapers have trespassed the limits of ethics, objectivity and the sacredness of information and made of their publications a means of blackmail and aggression.

The article published by "Akhbar Al Ousboua" was first criticized by the SNPM which denounced these "rumors and lies," and also by the Press Club, the Moroccan Union of writers (UEM) and the Parliament's Finance Committee which expressed support and solidarity with the defamed minister.

Previous Stories:
  Ministry creates commission to probe measures against press defamation of political figures   (4/29/2004)
  Minister condemns invasion of privacy   (4/23/2004)
  Press Club, writers and MPs voice solidarity with defamed Minister   (4/22/2004)

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