Lindsey Hilsum.
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Tag: journalism
Another blow to independent Moroccan journalism
In late September, the Moroccan police arrested Ali Anouzla, the editor of the independent online Arabic-language site Lakome. His crime? Publishing a story that linked to a story in the Spanish paper El Pais that featured a jihadist video in which members of Al Qaida in the Maghreb threatened the Moroccan king, Mohamed the VI. Even though the Lakome story condemned the video, Anouzla may be charged with encouraging terrorism.
This is from an Amnesty International statement:
“We fear Ali Anouzla is being punished for Lakome’s editorial independence and criticism of government policies, in what signals a worrying setback for freedom of expression in Morocco. He is a prisoner of conscience and should be released immediately and unconditionally,” said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International.
No kidding. Lakome is one of the only voices of serious critical journalism in Morocco. The authorities of this supposedly liberal monarchy have systematically harassed the country’s small independent press (the editors of the two best independent magazines of the last decade — Le Journal and Tel Quel — both live outside the country now, after being the targets of endless litigations, and Le Journal closed down).
Links December 19th and January 5th
Automatically posted links for December 19th through January 5th:
- Fashion and Faith Meet, on Foreheads of the Pious – NYT article from Dec 2007 on that bizarre Egyptian fetish, the zebibah
- Al Jazeera appelée à présenter ses excuses – Al Jazeera called on by its Algerian staff to apologize for poll about Algiers attacks
- Le Monde.fr : Le Dakar 2008 a été annulé – Paris-Dakar race cancelled for first time because of “al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb” threats
- Benazir Bhutto | Economist.com – A good obituary
- AFP: Egyptian woman in legal test of SMS divorce: report – Woman argues third divorce SMS makes it legal
- Guardian’s Tehran correspondent expelled without explanation – Robert Tait kicked out of Iran
- Anti-Zionist author kicks off speaking tour of Lebanon – Norman Finkelstein tour
- Du Nil à la Seine, l’étrange destin des Badraouis – Unusual story about an Egyptian village that specializes in emigrating to France
- U.S. envoy Jones starts Mideast security push – New American governor of Palestine arrives