Media, rights groups condemn Moroccan blogger trial

10/09/2008

Blogger Mohammed Erraji was sentenced to two years in jail for criticising the King of Morocco. Bloggers and human rights groups described the ruling as "unacceptable".

Naoufel Cherkaoui and Sarah Touahri in Rabat contributed to this report– 10/09/08

[helperraji.com] The arrest and sentencing of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji has caused indignation among press freedom and human rights groups.

The arrest and expedited trial of Moroccan blogger and journalist Mohammed Erraji has been widely condemned by media and human rights groups in the country.

Less than three days after he was arrested, an Agadir court sentenced Erraji Monday (September 8th) to two years in prison and a 5,000-dirham fine for writing an article deemed disrespectful of the King.

The arrest and sentencing is the first ever of a blogger in Morocco.

Writing in the electronic journal Hespress, 32-year old Erraji attributed the "shameful ranking [Morocco] has on the world level" to a phenomenon he calls "transport permits", whereby the King accords special benefits to some citizens.

"He can't just give them out to whoever throws a phrase of praise into his ear. First of all, this contributes to the creation of armies of flatterers who, instead of seeking to win their living via hard work, win it by words of flattery and praise..."

"In this way, the King is encouraging the people to be dependent," Erraji wrote in his article, which was published last Thursday, one day before his arrest.

In the courtroom on Monday morning, Erraji's trial went forward without a defense lawyer, and reportedly lasted only ten minutes.

Erraji's story was everywhere in the Moroccan blogosphere over the weekend, but nearly absent from Moroccan print media until Wednesday, when Al Ahdath Al Maghribia questioned the fairness of a trial without a defence laywer.

"The judge must ask the accused if he wishes to adjourn the trial to seek the services of a lawyer," the paper wrote. "If the judge continues beyond that point, he will have infringed upon his prerogatives and altered a fundamental right."

The Moroccan National Press Union went further, denouncing the trial as having been "expeditious, the sole aim being to legitimise a de facto abduction".

Vice-chairman of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH), Abdelhamid Amine, told Magharebia: "AMDH feels that this is an unacceptable ruling, because once more press freedom and freedom of opinion are being put on trial…No free man can accept the way in which the trial was conducted."

Abdelmalek Houzi, a member of AMDH, said, "I can't hide my anger over the repeated practices of prevention and arrests because of opinion and expression…All these are part of the red lines that have spread everywhere and on the tongues of Moroccans."

Bloggers rallied to Erraji's side, garnering international attention and establishing a special website to support the jailed blogger.

Citizen Hmida asked, "Is it justified to challenge a delicate balance between freedom of speech and the desire of certain institutions to defend the monarchy that nobody questions?"

Blogger Ibn Kafka wrote: "It should be noted, however, that Mohammed Erraji has benefited from the legendary leniency of Moroccan justice, and has since been sentenced to two years' imprisonment, whereas the minimum incurred for this offense is three years, maximum five years. This means that in theory (in practice, judges practice what they preach), extenuating circumstances were taken into account - but which ones?"