Press Club, writers and MPs voice solidarity with defamed Minister

The Press Club, the Moroccan Union of writers (UEM) and the Parliament's Finance Commission on Wednesday joined in their support to and solidarity with Moroccan Minister of Finance and privatization Fathallah Oualalou who was accused by a Moroccan Newspaper of "bad sexual behavior."

In a press release, UEM (French acronym for Union des ecrivains marocains) voiced solidarity with Oualalou described as "an influent member of the Union, a distinguished university teacher, and a prominent figure of the cultural and political class."

The weekly "Akhbar Al Ousboua" (in Arabic) recently published an article under the title "homosexuality and the Political class in Morocco," about the alleged homosexual behaviour of the Minister.

The "Press Club" denounced what it called an "Abject campaign" aiming to harm the reputation of Oualalou and deplored these allegations that also harms the "deontology of the (journalism) profession which prohibits defamation of people."

The Parliament's finance Commission finally called on justice to deal with this case.

These allegations were first condemned by the "Syndicat national de la presse marocaine," Morocco's journalists Union (SNPM) as "false and fabricated rumours." It also deplored "such rumours that hurt the dignity" of this member of the Government "through nasty journalism."

Oualalou's party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), member of the coalition in the Government, wished, on its part, that justice would probe this case with "firmness and probity."