Attorney General v. Ali Anouzla
Case Law- Country
- Country Location
Latitude: 31.791702
Longitude: -7.09262
- Country Location (linked Case Law)
- Morocco
- Decision Date
- Sep 24, 2013
- Case Status
- In progress
- Case Outcome (Procedural)
- Affirmed Lower Court
- Case Outcome (Disposition)
- Access Restriction/Content Regulation/Information Control
- Keywords
- Defamation
- Freedom of Expression
- Insult to Head of State
- Libel
- Media/Press
- Penal Code
- Sedition
- Slander
- Terrorism
- Judicial Body
- First Instance Court
- Court Name
- First Instance Court of Rabat
- Case Summary
Anouzla, journalist and editor of Arabic news site Lakome, was arrested on September 19, 2013 for publishing a news article including a link to a video posted on a Spanish website. The video was allegedly sharply critical of the King Mohammed VI of Morocco, accusing him of despotism and corruption, and called on Moroccan youth to engage in “Jihad”. However, Lakome's article was critical of the video. He was release provisionally in October 2013. The Rabat Court of Appeals indicted Ali Anouzla for “glorifying terrorism” under Article 218-2 of the Moroccan Penal Code and “materially assisting” under Article 218-6. The charges were never dropped, and while Lakome was blocked for a few months it was eventually brought back online.
- Source URL
- Front Line Defenders
- Notes
Summary:
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Moroccan judicial authorities to dismiss terrorism charges against Ali Anouzla, editor of the news website Lakome, related to a 2013 post. Anouzla faces charges of "material support for terrorism," "justifying terrorism," and "incitement to commit acts of terrorism" due to the inclusion of a link to an article with a video reportedly from Al-Qaeda. He was detained for five weeks before being released on bail in October 2013, and the case has seen multiple postponements, with the latest hearing delayed until February 2018. RSF argues that the charges conflict with Morocco's constitutional and international commitments to protecting freedom of information.This case has not been prosecuted fully as the trial was delayed indefinitely.
- Related Caselaw (self)
- Related Analysis
- Collection
- SMEX
- Date Updated
- Aug 1, 2024