Court Sentences Journalist to 3-month Suspended Prison Term for Libel

Moroccan journalist, Mustapha Alaoui, head of "Al Ousboue" weekly was sentenced on Wednesday by a Casablanca court to a three-month suspended prison term and a $500 fine.

The journalist, who stood trial for libel for a second time in less than two weeks, was also ordered to pay $10,000 in compensation to Fouad Filali, former executive manager of Moroccan holding "ONA."

The weekly had published a story accusing Filali, son of a former prime minister, of illegal fund transfers and money laundering.

Alaoui was sentenced last week to three months in jail, a $2,000 fine and a $100,000 compensation in another libel case filed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mohamed Benaissa.

Benaissa also brought a case against another journalist, Khalid Mechbal, editor-in-chief of "Al Shamal" weekly, who was sentenced to a six-month suspended jail term, a fine and a compensation to the plaintiff.