MAP office in Paris savagely assaulted by group claiming to support moroccan imprisoned journalist

A group of persons claiming to be members of a committee supporting Moroccan imprisoned journalist, Ali Lmrabet, this Friday afternoon broke into the Paris office of Moroccan news agency (MAP).

Assailants first charged the building security guard before breaking into the newsroom of MAP's Paris office without authorization and without respect for the journalists working there. After violently jostling a journalist, they started to stick on the building walls steamers claiming the release of the journalist who was sentenced this week by the court of appeal to three-years in prison for slander of the King's person and offending Morocco's territorial integrity and sacred values.

They also indulged in vain attempts to provoke the head of MAP office in Paris, Ms Hasna Daoudi, who tried to explain the inadmissibility of the action against "journalists who don't have anything to do with a justice decision handed out in a sovereign country."

A camera from the French TV station "FR3" filmed the 90-minute occupation of MAP premises. A complaint was lodged at the Paris police.

Ali Lmrabet, an editor of two satirical weeklies, was sentenced this week by the court of appeal to 3 years in prison, a fine of 20,000 Dirhams (around US$ 2,000) and the ban of his two publications. In the first instance court, Lmrabet was sentenced to 4 years in prison. His attorney says he is considering taking the case to the supreme court.