Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT398
2006-03-03 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

MOROCCO: IS THE GOVERNMENT STRANGLING THE PRESS?

Tags:  KDEM KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL PBTS MO 
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RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 1334
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000398 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2011
TAGS: KDEM KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL PBTS MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: IS THE GOVERNMENT STRANGLING THE PRESS?

REF: A. 05 RABAT 01345

B. 05 RABAT 01378

C. 05 RABAT 01732

D. 05 CASABLANCA 01329

E. CASABLANCA 00230

F. CASABLANCA 00346

Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000398

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2011
TAGS: KDEM KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL PBTS MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: IS THE GOVERNMENT STRANGLING THE PRESS?

REF: A. 05 RABAT 01345

B. 05 RABAT 01378

C. 05 RABAT 01732

D. 05 CASABLANCA 01329

E. CASABLANCA 00230

F. CASABLANCA 00346

Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Freedom of the press continues to be a significant
political and human rights issue in Morocco, and the mission
continues to discuss the issue with the GOM at high levels,
and to raise concerns as we see them. The GOM's latest tack
appears to be one of levying heavy fines on offending
periodicals -- rather than jailing journalists -- which is
tantamount to driving them out of business. On the positive
side, there continues to be incremental improvement in the
ability of many journalists to test the traditional
journalistic redlines in Morocco; a spate of articles over
the last year questioning Morocco's diplomacy on the Western
Sahara and decisions the King has made attest to an improved
climate overall. The fact that JCO leader Nadia Yassine, who
in 2005 called the monarchy inappropriate for Morocco,
remains at liberty to speak, despite possible charges against
her, is significant in regard to freedom of expression.
Journalists themselves generally tell us they enjoy a greater
level of liberty than they did five years ago. The GOM also
released from prison at the end of 2005 the last of two
incarcerated journalists. Finally, Adala, a newly formed and
MEPI-funded Moroccan NGO which aims to promote judicial
reform and transparency with assistance from the American Bar
Association, will be assessing the libel and defamation cases
brought against the newspapers discussed in this cable.


2. (C) There are, nevertheless, blights on the Moroccan
record that call into question the consistency and durability
of the greater freedoms that journalists generally enjoy.
There are presently four publications -- two French-language
and two Arabic-language -- under duress: TelQuel, Le Journal

Hebdomadaire, Al-Mishal and Al-Ayam. While the cases against
the publications vary, what does not is the freedom of the
publications to express viewpoints. Without freedom of the
press being valued within the formal governmental structures
and within the informal societal structures, Morocco's reform
record and progress toward greater democratization, not to
mention its ability to maintain eligibility for the
much-coveted Millennium Challenge Account, will be hampered.


3. (U) What follows is a summary of each of the four
journals currently under attack from the GOM. As noted
reftels E and F, editors of two of the journals have spoken
recently to Missionoffs about their plight.

--------------
TelQuel
--------------


4. (U) Ahmed Benchemsi, the Director of the Moroccan
independent French-language weekly magazine, TelQuel, and
Karim Boukhari, the author of an article which libeled a
female parliamentarian, (reftels C, D) were sentenced to two
months in jail and the magazine was fined the equivalent of
USD 100,000 in August 2005. On December 29, 2005, the fine
was reduced to the equivalent of USD 80,000.


5. (U) In a separate case, TelQuel, along with three other
newspapers -- Al-Ahdath Al-Maghribiya, Al-Ayam and Al
Ousbouiya al-Jadida -- was falsely accused Touria Bouabid of
embezzlement of her NGO's funds. The claims were based on
police records. All four papers printed retractions once the
accusation was proven to be false; however, the courts
assessed damages of USD 90,000 against TelQuel October 25,

2005. On February 15, the courts reduced the damages to USD
50,000. TelQuel will appeal the decision. Reporters without
Borders said: "It is now clear that the Moroccan courts want
to strangle TelQuel financially, as it was already ordered to
pay an equally disproportionate fine a little more than a
month ago."

--------------
Le Journal Hebdomadaire
--------------


6. (U) On December 26, 2005, Boubker Jamai, editor of Le
Journal Hebdomadaire, was summoned by the police in
Casablanca. Le Journal republished a headline that had
originally appeared on the front cover of the Arabic weekly,
Al-Bidaoui, which was banned. The headline was "Morocco, the
(expletive deleted) country."


7. (U) In the February 11 edition, Le Journal carried a
photo of someone reading France-Soir with the twelve Danish
cartoons which have been identified by many as defaming to
Mohammed and Islam. Le Journal obliterated the minuscule
cartoons prior to the dissemination of the edition.
Notwithstanding, the TV channel 2M castigated Le Journal on
February 13 by saying "this newspaper is known for clashing
with public opinion by taking up stances contrary to the
sacred values of our country." Demonstrations occurred on
February 14 outside of Le Journal's Casablanca offices
(reftel E).


8. (U) On February 16, Jamai and Fahd Iraqi, another
editor, were fined USD 305,000 in a Rabat civil court for
defamation against the European Strategic Intelligence and
Security Centre (ESISC). Le Journal had published a study
questioning the objectivity of a report published by ESISC on
the Polisario. Both Jamai and Iraqi had already been fined
USD 5,000 in a criminal court.


9. (U) On February 21, Jamai held a press conference to
discuss the two cases. Approximately sixty people attended
the press conference at the Moroccan Press Union's
headquarters in Rabat. One of the journalists present noted
that members of the union did not attend the conference.
Jamai said that the situation with Le Journal was "grave" and
amounts to "judicial terrorism." He also stated bluntly that
he did not view the monarchy as a sacred institution. When
asked whether he would write an apology for the articles,
Jamai said he would not. Regarding the autonomy of the
Western Sahara, which had been discussed in the article on
ESISC, Jamai linked autonomy with democracy in Morocco, i.e.,
there cannot be an autonomy plan without democracy.


10. (C) During the press conference, Jamai was questioned
about a photograph of the King. Jamai's only comment was
that he had not wanted the photograph associated with an
article because it would detract from the article, i.e., the
photograph would become a topic of discussion. At no point
during the press conference, did Jamai indicate that he
thought the King himself was behind the attacks on Le
Journal. Jamai apparently expected, according to several
sources, to play an advisory role to King Mohammed VI,
perhaps as press advisor, and this has not come to fruition.

--------------
Al-Ayam
--------------


11. (U) Noureddine Miftah, the director of the
Arabic-language Al-Ayam, published an article entitled "The
Secrets of Monarchy Females (i.e., harams) During the Reign

SIPDIS
of Three Kings," written by Maria Moukrim. The article
discussed corruption and private lives of the royals during
the reigns of Mohammed V and Hassan II. Permission for such
an article was not received from royal protocol prior to
publishing. Miftah and Moukrim were fined USD 10,000.

--------------
Al-Mishal
--------------

12. (U) In mid-December 2005, Driss Chaatan, the director of
Al-Mishal, an Arabic-language weekly, was summoned by the
Casablanca police for publishing photos and articles on the
royal family without prior permission from royal protocol.
The trial will be April 4.

--------------
Comments
--------------


13. (C) These cases and situations have a common thread:
all topics are not available to publications and journalists
at all times. TelQuel and Le Journal are coming under direct
GOM scrutiny and pressure is being applied whenever it is
possible to do so. The two cases against the Arabic-language
publications are distressing but have not resulted in the
unusually high fines levied against the two French-language
publications. There seems to be little logic behind the
level of the fines -- certainly, one would think that
defaming the royal family, as in the Al-Ayam case, would
generate a heavier fine than defaming a NGO leader.


14. (C) Traditional redlines for the Moroccan press are the
royal family, Islam and "territorial integrity," i.e.,
Morocco's claims to the Western Sahara. Le Journal's
critique of the ESISC's report as mouthing the GOM's stance
vis-a-vis the Western Sahara is a clear sign that this
remains an especially sensitive area.


15. (C) One hopeful sign is that Adala will be investigating
the cases. Judicial independence and transparency are
especially challenged when the three taboo subjects are
involved. The GOM does not yet fully grasp that freedom of
expression allows for many different points of view on any
subject to be discussed openly.


16. (C) Another hopeful sign is the release of Anas Tadili
on January 29. Tadili was the last imprisoned journalist
about whom the Mission was aware. Tadili, the director of
Akhbar al-Ousbouaa, an Arabic-language newspaper, was
imprisoned on September 29, 2004 for libeling a minister. On
April 9, 2004, the newspaper accused the Minister of Finance
of homosexuality. Reporters without Borders reported that
pressure was put on the Ministry of Justice to convict Tadili.



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Riley