Human Rights Legal Aid Group
International Media Support (IMS)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Journalists Without Rights
Land Center for Human Rights
Maharat Foundation
Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI)
Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Vigilance Association for Democracy and the Civic State
31 October 2013
Trial Continues of Human Rights Defender and Journalist Ali Anouzla
On 30 October 2013, human rights defender and journalist, Mr Ali Anouzla,
appeared before the court to answer a charge of abetting terrorism, which carries a
maximum sentence of twenty years' imprisonment. An investigating judge briefly
interrogated him behind closed doors, before adjourning the hearing to 23
December 2013. On 14 September 2013, Lakome published an article about a
video made by the Islamic Maghreb branch of Al Qaeda. The Arabic version of the
site posted a link to the video. Lakome included a disclaimer that it was a
propaganda video, published for journalistic reasons. Ali Anouzla was arrested
three days later, on 17 September 2013. He was released on bail on 24 October. Ali
Anouzla's supporters expressed the concern that the trial may be intentionally
postposed repeatedly.
19 September 2013
Arrest of journalist and human rights defender Mr Ali Anouzla
On 17 September 2013, Mr Ali Anouzla, a prominent journalist, human rights
defender and editor of the online newspaper Lakome, was arrested in Rabat after
being summoned for interrogation by the Moroccan authorities. Lakome's offices
were raided and Ali Anouzla's personal laptop was confiscated.
According to the warrant summoning the human rights defender, his arrest is
related to a video that was published on the Francophone version of Lakome,
which was a video by the Islamic Maghreb branch of Al Qaeda, despite it being
alongside a disclaimer by the newspaper that this was a propaganda video