Hunger strike by imprisoned journalist nothing to do with detention conditions, official

The hunger staged by the Moroccan journalist Ali Lamrabet in his prison cell in Sale (Rabat twin city) "has nothing to do with his detention conditions," said, in Rabat Friday, a communique of the department of penitentiary institutions of the ministry of justice.

In its communique, the penitentiary department said Ali Lamrabet, "has never been subject to aggression of whatever nature, nor to duress or provocation. He is treated in the same manner as the other detainees in this institution (É) without any discrimination and on an equal footing."

The department was reacting to news in the media which linked this hunger strike to the detention conditions of Lamrabet, editor in-chief of "Demain Magazine" and "Doumane" who was sentenced on May 21 to four years in prison for "insulting the person of the king," committing an "offence against territorial integrity" and "an offence against the monarchy."

On 17 June, his sentence was reduced on appeal to three years in prison with no parole.

Lamrabet who had in June 24 ended a 50-day hunger strike, started this new one on November 30.

The source also explained that Lamrabet is allowed to receive the visits of his attorney, of his fiance and of his relatives. He also gets supplies, books, magazines and Moroccan and foreign newspapers.