Minister condemns invasion of privacy

Moroccan communication minister, Nabil Benabdellah, condemned on Wednesday the invasion of privacy as an "odious exploitation" of the press freedom, referring to allegations against a government member published by a weekly in an article titled "homosexuality and the political class."

Benabdellah told MPs the ministry and all the government denounces "these shameful practices that have no relation with the press and that harm the profession which is based on people's right to information, rather than defamation and libel." He also warned that any invasion of the privacy of individuals, be they simple citizens or officials, is punishable by the law. Only justice, he went on, is entitled to rule whether a press report is defamatory.

He also called the Moroccan press professionals to get rid of this type of publications.

On Wednesday, the Press Club, the Moroccan Union of writers (UEM) and the Parliament's Finance Committee also expressed support to and solidarity with Moroccan Minister of Finance and privatization Fathallah Oualalou who was accused by "Akhbar Al Ousboua" of "homosexual behaviour."

Benabdellah insisted that press deontology is among the major concerns of the communication ministry which is ready to back all initiatives made by press professionals to promote the respect of law and ethics.

The government and professionals want to reach this aim by reviewing laws and reorganizing the profession in such a way as to impose respect of deontology and tie the state's subsidies to publications to objective criteria that guarantee quality and transparency.

The Moroccan Press Union (SNPM) which had created its own watchdog of deontology has denounced these "rumors and lies and voiced astonishment at the wide circulation of copies of the article.