morocco

The press enjoyed new freedom after Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in January amid widespread protests, although a photographer was killed covering the unrest. The release of veteran journalist Fahem Boukadous after several months in prison was welcome news for a press corps accustomed to continued harassment and detention during Ben Ali’s 23-year…

The regime enforced an effective media blackout in March, banning international journalists from reporting or entering the country and detaining local journalists who tried to cover protests seeking an end to Bashar al-Assad’s rule. In a widespread campaign to silence media coverage, the government detained and assaulted journalists, expelled foreign journalists, and disabled mobile phones,…

Saudi authorities maintained a suffocating atmosphere of censorship as they further tightened the country’s highly restrictive media law. In May, a royal decree amended five articles of the law, barring the publication of any material that contravened Sharia law, impinged on state interests, promoted foreign interests, harmed public order or national security, or enabled criminal activity. In…

Security forces tried to restrict coverage of the country’s civil unrest by attacking journalists covering pro-reform protests, often confiscating or destroying their equipment. Authorities raided the office of a news website in April, destroying equipment and threatening staff members. The same month, Al-Jazeera received a series of threats that its offices and journalists would be…

During the 18-day uprising that led to Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, the government unleashed a systematic campaign to intimidate journalists and obstruct news coverage. Dozens of serious press freedom violations were recorded between January 25 and February 11, as police and government supporters assaulted journalists in the streets. One journalist was killed by sniper fire while…

As of December 1, 2011    |   » Read the accompanying report, “Journalist imprisonments jump worldwide, and Iran is worst”

d6d6d6 ffffff ffffff 16 ffffff 990000 25,60 180 Azerbaijan: 155,46/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=AZ: 1&c=55000028.3666002653408javascript:showme(‘#azerbaijan’); Bahrain: 121,50.637772/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=BH: 1&c=55000028.3666002653408javascript:showme(‘#bahrain’); Burma: 1212,95/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=BU: 12&c=C3000048.9827534923789javascript:showme(‘#burma’); Burundi: 1-14,28/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=BI: 1&c=55000028.3666002653408javascript:showme(‘#burundi’); China: 2739,110/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=CN: 27&c=FF000063.4741302385683javascript:showme(‘#china’); Egypt: 225,25/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=EG: 2&c=5F000031.8321595661992javascript:showme(‘#egypt’); Eritrea: 283,40/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=ER: 28&c=FF000064.2718872423573javascript:showme(‘#eritrea’); Ethiopia: 7-16,40/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=ET: 7&c=91000042.1359436211787javascript:showme(‘#ethiopia’); Gambia: 111,-15.310/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=GM: 1&c=55000028.3666002653408javascript:showme(‘#gambia’); India: 210.593684,76/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=IN: 2&c=5F000031.8321595661992javascript:showme(‘#india’); Iran: 4234,75/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=IR: 42&c=FF000074.2217668469038javascript:showme(‘#iran’); Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: 736,37/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=IL: 7&c=91000042.1359436211787javascript:showme(‘#israel_opt’); Vietnam: 919.5,114/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=VN: 9&c=A5000045.0998007960223javascript:showme(‘#vietnam’); Uzbekistan: 560,58/imprisoned/images/text.swf?n=UZ: 5&c=7D000038.7082869338697javascript:showme(‘#uzbekistan’);…

New York, June 9, 2011– Today’s one-year prison sentence against Rachid Nini, executive editor of the Moroccan daily Al-Massae and owner of Al-Massae Media Group, is the latest instance of the Moroccan government settling scores with critical journalists through a judiciary that is subservient to the executive branch, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.