morocco: Jailed newspaper editor's condition worsens

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - MOROCCO

30 May 2003

Jailed newspaper editor's condition worsens

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

**Updates IFEX alerts of 26, 21, 16, 13 and 8 May, 18 and 16 April 2003**

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has voiced its mounting concern over the worsening condition of
jailed newspaper editor Ali Lmrabet, the organisation's correspondent in
Morocco, who was rushed from his prison cell to hospital on 26 May 2003. Lmrabet
has been on hunger strike since 6 May and is now refusing even water. His
lawyers yesterday described his state of health as "worrying." Lmrabet began
serving a four-year prison sentence for "insulting the king" on 21 May.

"We are extremely concerned about the health of our correspondent and we
reiterate our request to the Moroccan authorities to release him at once, which
would enable him to receive the treatment he needs," RSF Secretary-General
Robert Ménard said. Ménard also said he did not understand why Lmrabet is not
allowed any reading material. RSF's secretary-general added that he will travel
to Rabat on 2 June to meet with Justice Ministry officials and visit Lmrabet in
hospital.

Lmrabet was put on an intravenous drip when he was taken to Avicenne hospital in
Rabat on 29 May, but he removed it on 29 May and refused any other form of
medicine. When his sister Naziha visited him, all he managed to say was, "Even
here they are persecuting me."

Explaining to his other sister Nadia his decision to refuse to ingest anything
(including water and sugar), he said, "I am being denied my prisoner's rights.
Why are they even forbidding me the right to read? Haven't they done me enough
harm already?" The only book he had with him, and a pen, were confiscated on 28
May and he has not been given the other books he requested.

On 29 May, Lmrabet's two lawyers were able to visit him for the first time in
hospital. They said they had written to the justice minister requesting a
written report on Lmrabet's state of health.

The editor of two satirical weeklies, the French-language "Demain Magazine" and
its Arabic-language version, "Douman", Lmrabet was sentenced to four years'
imprisonment on 21 May for "insulting the person of the king", committing an
"offence against territorial integrity" and an "offence against the monarchy".
The court also fined him 20,000 dirhams (approx. US$2,300; 2,000 euros) and
banned his two weeklies.

When he began his hunger strike on 6 May, Lmrabet said he was acting to defend
his rights, to put an end to repeated acts of intimidation against his printer
and others who would otherwise be prepared to print his weeklies, and in order
to be able to enjoy his right to freedom of movement.

For further information, contact Virginie Locussol at RSF, rue Geoffroy Marie,
Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.rsf.org

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
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