Morocco: 3 daily newspapers convicted on complaints of Muammar Gaddafi

CASABLANCA Three independent Moroccan daily newspapers, prosecuted for ...defamation... by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, were sentenced a fine Monday in Casablanca of three million Dirhams (270,000 Euros) in compensation.

•     This decision was strongly criticized by the National Union of the Moroccan Press (SNPM) at a protest rally held after the trial court to face trial in Casablanca.
  
      The three Arabic newspapers – “El Jarida El Oula” “El Ahdat El Maghribia” and “El Massae” - were prosecuted in separate folders for “defaming” Muammar Gaddafi in press articles.
  
      The court sentenced Ali Anouzla, Director of El Jarida El Aoula” a fine of 100,000 Dirhams (9,000 Euros) and damages of one million Dirhams (90,000 Euros) for the Libyan leader.
  
      The court imposed the same fine and the same damages to Brini and Mokhtar Labzioui, director and journalist of “El Ahdhat El Maghribia” and Youssef Meskini and Rachid Nini, journalist and editor of “El Massae”.
  
      The office of the (Arab Brotherhood in Rabat) (Embassy of Libya) has recently filed complaints against five journalists after the publication of articles “exposing the lack of democracy in Libya and criticizing Muammar Gaddafi.
  
      Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi called the three daily damages amounting to 90 million Dirhams (about 8 million Euros) for “violating the dignity of a head of state.”
  
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.