The managing editor of the Moroccan Arab and independent daily “Al Massae” (The Evening), Rachid Nini on Tuesday was fined 6 million dirhams (US$800, 000) as payment to four deputy prosecutors in the public prosecution for defamation.
In addition, the Rabat magistrates’ court fined the paper 120, 000 dirhams to the public Treasury.
The four deputy prosecutors in the Ksar El Kabir City (north) prosecution department had separately lodged a complaint against the paper for publishing an inquiry last November into “a private party” where “homosexual practices” had taken place.
The paper even issued a list of suspects including the name of a deputy prosecutor sitting in the magistrates’ court in the city.
In its daily column, the editor of the “Al Massae” had publicly apologized to the prosecutors admitting “the professional misconduct”. Rachid Nini has 10 days to make an appeal.
Last January, the Tangiers Appeal Court had sentenced seven people who had taken part in that “scandalous party” to between 4 and 10 months mainly for “sexual perversion”.
Since the release of that article about one and a half years ago, the paper has gained fame, becoming the most sold item with more than 100, 000 copies daily or 30 per cent of the sales in the entire Moroccan media.
On Sunday, the national press union ended their sixth congress with a call on authorities to ensure “that the staggering fines” are removed from the new press code now being discussed.
Source African Press Agency
