Morocco's King intervenes in Assahifa case.

Following on from our story yesterday about the Arabic language daily Assahifa and its decision to ban itself for Tuesday's publication of an an article about an oil discovery in the eastern town of Talsint, which included statements deemed to be defamatory of the monarch, King Mohammed VI has moved fast to intervene. His decision not to allow the paper to be prosecuted is a sensible and timely act by the monarch at a time when press freedom is a hot topic in Morocco.

In a press release on Tuesday, the newspaper's managers announced the temporary suspension of the publication and apologized for the article after realizing that the letter of Michael Costin, President of the US oil company Skidmore, upon which the article was based, "include ambiguous and contradictory information, which remove their credibility."

King's decision not to sue Assahifa deemed "noble"

The Syndicat National de la Presse Marocaine (SNPM, Morocco's Press Union) and the Moroccan Federation of Press Editors (FMEJ) have welcomed as "noble" and "positive" king Mohammed VI's decision not to sue Assahifa. The two organisations have received a letter from king's advisor, Mohamed Moatassim, about the King's decision not to sue Assahifa despite "the flagrant violations of press deontology that have marred the article, which included deliberate lies."

The FMEJ noted that there is no reason to take proceedings against the newspaper after the it apologized for its professional misconduct and its decision to temporarily suspend itself.

The king's decision is "historical and unprecedented" in media-related cases, said the Secretary General of the Press Union, Younes Moujahid, in a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse. He went on to say that he hoped that the monarch’s “noble” decision should incite journalists to defend the freedom of speech while abiding by the rules of deontology.

Note: Deontological moral systems are characterized by a focus upon adherence to independent moral rules or duties. To make the correct moral choices, we have to understand what our moral duties are and what correct rules exist to regulate those duties. When we follow our duty, we are behaving morally. When we fail to follow our duty, we are behaving immorally. Typically in any deontological system, our duties, rules, and obligations are determined by God. Being moral is thus a matter of obeying God.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news