28 June 2005

Alert

Appeals court upholds ten-year professional ban on journalist Ali Lmrabet


Incident details

Ali Lmrabet

journalist(s)

sentenced

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(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has condemned "Morocco's resolve to silence Ali Lmrabet" after an appeals court upheld a ten-year ban on his working as a journalist. The organisation called the sentence "a cowardly move, demonstrating the limits of press freedom in Morocco."

On 23 June 2005, an appeals court upheld the ten-year ban and fine of 50,000 dirhams (approx. US$5,430; 4,500 euros). In addition, the journalist is obliged to publish the verdict for 21 days in the Arabic-language daily "Al Ahdath Al Maghribia". At eight pages, the move will cost Lmrabet up to 100,000 euros (approx. US$120,680). On 12 April, the prosecutor appealed a lower court verdict, considering the sentence too light. The move was a surprising one, given that the case had been brought before the court through a direct summons.

"I think that in a country like Morocco where everyone knows the judiciary kowtows to the government, this ruling is invalid," Lmrabet told RSF. "This will not stop me setting up my own weekly newspaper in Morocco."



Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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More on this case

Fund Against Censorship grant awarded to Moroccan publisher Ali Lmrabet 20 July 2005 Journalist Ali Lmrabet banned from reporting for 10 years 13 April 2005 Pro-government press mounts smear campaign against journalist Ali Lmrabet 8 February 2005 RSF condemns harassment of journalist Ali Lmrabet 1 February 2005 Authorities refuse to allow editor Ali Lmrabet to apply for publishing licence; CPJ protests newspapers' suspension 28 January 2005

Morocco

Journalist barred from his office 29 December 2011 Moroccan journalist expelled 27 December 2011 Police question over 100 people in advance of parliamentary vote 25 November 2011 Appeal court upholds editor's prison sentence 25 October 2011 ANHRI condemns attack on headquarters of newspaper 14 October 2011 See all alerts: Morocco


 
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