Moroccan Journalist Acquitted of Charges in Press Freedom Case

Journalist Mohamed Boutaâm is now free to move around. He had been arrested on May 4 in Tiznit, placed in detention in the local prison of the city, then prosecuted for "interference without title in public functions" under Article 380 of the Penal Code. He was also the subject of a complaint filed by Moulay Lahcen Ouazzani of Sidi Ifni for "insults, slander and defamation" against his person and that of the Attorney General of the King in Agadir. After the rejection of the request for release, the court of first instance of Tiznit acquitted him last Monday, reports TelQuel.

Before the decision, the journalist’s defense committee, who is also a correspondent for several Arabic-language dailies in the Souss region, held a conference at the headquarters of the National Union of the Press (SNPM) on the same day. According to the explanations of his lawyer Omar Daoudi, "well-known corrupt people in the region" had filed a complaint against Mohamed Boutaâm. "He had received calls from the judicial police, before he decided on May 4 last to surrender automatically to the police," he added.

The journalist’s legal troubles began in May 2020. "The preliminary investigation into this case was marred by many violations," said Omar Daoudi, deploring that "the charges on the compliance of the Tizpress site with the requirements of the Press and Publishing Code have been adapted according to the requirements of criminal law."