The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has urged authorities to drop charges against Hassan Rachidi, the head of Al-Jazeera's bureau in Morocco, accused of broadcasting false information and conspiracy.
IFJ said in a statement Monday that it believed the court case, stemming from Al-Jazeera reporting incorrectly on Saturday that there had been deaths during protests in the south-western Moroccan port of Sidi Ifni, is unwarranted after the station issued a public correction.
"This case against Hassan Rachidi, following the suspension of an Al-Jazeera programme last month, seems to be part of a concerted campaign by the Moroccan government against the broadcaster," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. "Using the courts to intimidate journalists is an attack on press freedom. Al-Jazeera issued a public correction and should not face further sanctions for making a mistake that it quickly moved to fix."
In May, the Moroccan government suspended Al-Jazeera's programme Magarbi Daily News, claiming that the suspension was made on technical and legal grounds.
According to the channel, Rachidi and Ibrahim Sebaa El-Layl, an official with the Moroccan Human Rights Centre (CMDH), were charged on Saturday with publishing false information and conspiracy, under the terms of article 42 of the press code. Their trial is set for July 1 in Rabat, the satellite broadcaster said, adding that the Moroccan communication ministry also withdrew Rachidi's media accreditation.
"The withdrawal of licence is a pre-condemnation," before the court decision, said Younes M'jahed, Vice-President of the IFJ and also President of the Syndicat National de la Presse Marocaine (SNPM).
In February the Information Ministers of the Arab League issued guidelines on the regulation of broadcast media which some groups, including IFJ, have warned smacks of direct political interference in media.
