The Chinese government has taken bold measures to prevent international news media outlets from reporting on the Tibetan uprising. It restricted the journalists’ movement in Tibet and its neighboring regions. It also blocked internet access to CNN, BBC, Youtube, and other websites relaying information from that region. Chinese journalists face callous reprisal if their reporting strays from the government’s editorial line. Such undemocratic measures are to be anticipated in a country where the human rights abuses record makes the holocaust seem like a high school graduation ball. 
On a similar note, the Moroccan government, through its subservient judicial system, has taken measures to rein back independent local news media outlets and prevent them from reporting on government officials and their activities. Thus, Al Masae, a widely popular daily Arabic newspaper, saw its editor, Rachid Nini, stabbed in court … (did I say “stabbed?” It’s getting confusing. He was attacked by a man brandishing a knife in Rabat train station. Nothing to do with trying to silence him and shutting down his paper.) Anyway! He was accused of libel, fined $17,348.59, and ordered to pay the exorbitant amount of $867,350 in damages to the defendants. The defendants are four judges on whom Mr. Nini reported, without mentioning their names, as having attended a gay marriage ceremony in Ksar El Kebir (not that there is anything wrong with that.) Mr. Nini intends to appeal the ruling. If, subsequently to the appeal, the ruling is not overturned, Mr. Nini’s last recourse would be the foolproof redress system Morocco has in place for such high profile cases: the royal pardon. The royal pardon here will highlight the freedom of press we enjoy in Morocco. Paying the fine and the damages will have deleterious consequences on Al Masae (Nini a moumou.) But it’s only then that the four judges will be able to afford the sex change they’ve longed for all their lives. Considering how repressive this political verdict is, the Judge who ruled in the case could have been from China …
The Moroccan gay community should consider suing Mr. Nini for libel for associating them with four Moroccan judges.
Ahmed T. B. Copyright © 2008
Comment by Reda — March 27, 2008 @ 9:32 pm |
Reda,
1. I needed something to enliven reporting on such a travesty of a verdict.
2. the four judges went after Rachid Nini with the rage of the guilty.
3. Homosexuality is not restricted to a group of debased and uneducated people on the fringe of society.
Comment by cabalamuse — March 28, 2008 @ 8:43 am |
100% d’accord avec toi, je ne faisais que souligner ce que tu disais.
Comment by Reda — March 28, 2008 @ 10:17 pm |