Bloggers across the Web are showing their solidarity with Mohamed Erraji, a Moroccan blogger who was sentenced to two years in prison last week for “failing to show respect for the king.”
A Moroccan court convicted Erraji, 29, a contributor to HesPress, a Moroccan daily news Web site, on Monday in a closed, 10-minute trial. On September 3, Erraji published an article on HesPress criticizing King Mohamed VI for rewarding people who praise him. He was arrested the next day and convicted the day after that, without a defense lawyer. CPJ condemned the court’s decision yesterday. Today, the court of appeal in Agadir granted Erraji bail until the appeal is heard. A member of his family told CPJ that he can’t predict what will happen, but that the court “might increase or decrease the sentence, or might decide that Mohamed is innocent.”
Bloggers have set up Help Erraji, Free Erraji, and Facebook group Free Moroccan Blogger Mohammed Erraji.