Subject: Morocco: CPJ Protests Ban on Weekly Papers
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 16:34:10 -0800


December 8, 2000

His Majesty King Muhammad VI
The Royal Palace
Rabat, The Kingdom of Morocco
Fax: 011-212- 37 76 85 15

Your Majesty:

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to protest the
Moroccan government's decision to ban the weekly newspapers Demain, Le
Journal, and Al-Sahiffa.

On December 2, the government released a statement saying the three
newspapers were banned because they had attacked "the most sacred
institutional bases of our country" and threatened "the stability of the
state." The statement added: "In insulting reality ... and fabricating
history, these papers have created doubt and sowed confusion in the spirit
of Moroccans."

The three papers were banned for publishing or commenting on a letter
allegedly written by former Moroccan leftist leader Mohamed Basri in 1974,
implicating socialist politicians in the failed August 1972 coup attempt
against the late King Hassan II. In the context of modern Moroccan politics,
the letter is explosive because it suggests that the current prime minister,
Abderrahmane Youssoufi, was involved in an attempt to assassinate Your
Majesty's late father.

The French-language Le Journal is published from Morocco but printed in
France, while its Arabic-language sister publication Al-Sahiffa is printed
domestically. Both papers published the letter in late November and also ran
commentary about it. The French-language Demain, a Moroccan paper that
prints in Spain, covered the issue but did not publish the letter itself.
The banning of all three newspapers was carried out in accordance with
Article 77 of the Press Law, which allows the government to suppress
publications deemed to threaten Morocco's political or religious
foundations.

The banning of Demain, Le Journal, and Al-Sahiffa is a naked attempt by the
Moroccan government to silence independent and critical media, in violation
of the most basic international norms for free expression. Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular, guarantees journalists
the right to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any
media and regardless of frontiers."

These closures are part of an alarming pattern of government restrictions on
press freedom in Morocco documented by CPJ this year. The restrictions
include censorship, the criminal prosecution of journalists, and other forms
of harassment directed against reporters. CPJ raised a number of these cases
with Prime Minister Youssoufi in letters dated April 19 and May 17.

As a nonpartisan organization of journalists dedicated to defending press
freedom worldwide, CPJ respectfully urges Your Majesty to ensure that the
government ban on Demain, Le Journal, and Sahiffa is lifted immediately and
that all three papers are allowed to resume publication without further
hindrance.

Thank you for your attention to these important matters. We look forward to
a reply at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

<<...>>

Ann K. Cooper
Executive Director

cc:
Abderrahmane Youssoufi, Prime MinisterMohamed Achari, Minister of
Communication
American Society of Newspaper Editors
Amnesty International
Article 19 (United Kingdom)
Artikel 19 (The Netherlands)
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Freedom Forum
Freedom House
Human Rights Watch
Index on Censorship
International Center for Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International PEN
International Press Institute
Harold Hongju Koh, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human
Rights, and Labor
Alain Modoux, director, UNESCO Freedom of Expression Program
The Newspaper Guild
The North American Broadcasters Association
Overseas Press Club
Reporters Sans Frontières
Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Society of Professional Journalists
World Association of Newspapers
World Press Freedom Committee

***********************************
Joel Campagna
Program Coordinator
Middle East and North Africa