Red Lines Return

While Morocco has been receiving international praise for the work of the Equity and Reconcilation Commissio, developments at home suggest a deterioration in freedom of expression. In libel trials, the two most vocally critical and taboo-breaking of the country’s news publications, Le Journal and Tel Quel, have been ordered to pay damages that could put them out of business and that far exceed those awarded against less controversial publications for publishing similar or identical information. Meanwhile staff at other newspapers face jail terms for articles deemed prejudicial to the monarchy, while access to pro-Polisario websites has been restricted, indicating that the country’s ‘red lines’ (such as the monarchy and the Sahara question) are being reasserted.

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