Morocco Ranks 135th in Press Freedom as Journalists Face Ongoing Trials, RSF Reports

According to Reporters Without Borders, two trials in particular "reveal a manifest desire of the Moroccan state to keep the profession under pressure". These are "Ali Anouzla, editor-in-chief of the news site Lakome2, whose trial has been going on for more than five years, and Maati Monjib, president of the Moroccan Association for Investigative Journalism (AMJI), who has been facing justice for nearly four years", the report states. "Apology for terrorism", "incitement to commit terrorist acts" and "undermining state security" are the charges brought against these two journalists who, according to RSF, "have only done their job".

The NGO Reporters Without Borders recalls that in addition to this, "there were strong judicial pressures on journalists during the year 2018". And to add that "the work of national and foreign media working on the Hirak du Rif or the now taboo issue of migration has been "deliberately hampered by the Moroccan authorities". On this, RSF points out that "several trials have been brought, against both citizen-journalists and professionals". Among these, "Several are currently incarcerated, and prison sentences and fines have been handed down, while foreign journalists have been expelled".

RSF concludes that journalism is "sorely tested" in North Africa, "by the manifest desire of the leaders to control the press, and to attack the journalists who investigate sensitive issues of corruption or cover popular uprisings". It should be recalled that while Tunisia gains 25 places and positions itself in 72nd place, Algeria loses 5 places and falls to 141st place, while Libya completes the circle, occupying 162nd place.