Jailed Moroccan Publisher Seeks Buyer for Struggling Media Group Amid Financial Crisis

Drastic drop in sales of the Arabic-language daily Akhbar Al Yaoum, loss of prestige of the electronic media Alyaoum24, little interest from the female public for the magazine Soltana, delay in the payment of salaries of journalists and other employees. The press group owned by Taoufik Bouachrine seems to be going through dark days.

To save it from imminent bankruptcy, its founder intends to sell it to Moulay Hafid El Alamy, businessman and Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy, reports the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia. To this end, he would have transmitted a buyout proposal to the minister through his brother, Hicham Bouachrine, specifies the same source.

Arrested on February 28, 2018, Taoufik Bouachrine had been prosecuted for rape, sexual harassment, human trafficking of vulnerable people, abuse of power and sexual exploitation. In October 2019, he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison and three million dirhams to be paid to the plaintiffs and a fine of 300,000 dirhams.