Moroccan journalists falsely accused of sex crimes – CPJ

Moroccan authorities are punishing journalists by falsely accusing them of sex crimes, claims the Committee to Protect Journalists.

JOHANNESBURG, March 26 (ANA) – Press freedom advocates and journalists’ families in Morocco have told the global NGO the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that authorities are using sexual assault and “morals” charges to retaliate against members of the press for their reporting on alleged government corruption.

According to a statement issued by the CPJ on March 18, Moroccan journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Soulaiman Raissouni and Omar Radi have intensely reported on corruption and have headed up investigations into alleged government abuse and all three have been charged with or sentenced to prison for sex crimes.

“In general, when journalists were facing anti-state charges, they were considered heroes, gaining so much popularity. Today, when a journalist is accused of shameful crimes like rape, it is guaranteed that public opinion will perceive them as unethical,” Le Desk reporter Imad Stitou, who has been questioned as an accomplice to Radi, told CPJ via phone.

Samia Errazzouki, a Moroccan former journalist based in the US who also spoke to the CPJ telephonically, said: “Charging journalists with sexual assault is a tool to prevent international and national solidarity with these journalists, who are now perceived as rapists.”

Following Bouachrine’s arrest, Raissouni replaced him as editor-in-chief at the daily Akhbar al-Youm. Like his predecessor, Raissouni took on powerful figures in Morocco in his writing, leading the journalist to be put under surveillance, his wife Kholoud Mokhtari told CPJ via phone.

Authorities charged Raissouni with the 2018 sexual assault of another man. His trial is ongoing.

But even if the three journalists are released from prison, their family members said it will be difficult for them to continue working in the field.

“Morals are a very sensitive topic in Morocco. When authorities try a public figure based on a sex scandal, they win public opinion to their side. They are making sure that Soulaiman (Raissouni) loses his credibility as a journalist by defaming and humiliating him like that,” Mokhtari to CPJ.

Other journalists in Morocco fear similar accusations. According to CPJ, Maati Monjib, a freelance journalist and historian who is serving a one-year prison sentence on charges of fraud and endangering state security, wrote on Facebook after an interrogation leading up to his arrest that he considered himself “very lucky” not to be accused of sex crimes.

CPJ said it emailed the Moroccan Ministry of Justice for comment but did not receive a response.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher