Morocco: Two month suspended sentence for journalists
10.01.2006
On 29 December 2005, publication director Ahmed Benchemsi and news editor Karim Boukhari, of the weekly "TelQuel", were sentenced on appeal, to a two-month suspended prison term and ordered to pay a fine of 800,000 dirhams (72,000 euros). In January, the two journalists, convicted of defamation in another case, are set to reappear before the Casablanca Court of Appeal. "Contrary to our expectations, the sentence is markedly disproportionate in its opposition to Ahmed Benchemsi and Karim Boukhari, in a trial that did not fully review the case. We hope nevertheless that in the least, the court of appeal will be less severe to 'TelQuel' during the second court process that will take place in January 2006," declared Reporters Without Borders.