Morocco :Draft press law.
The new draft press law and publishing prepared by the Ministry of Communication led by Mustafa Khelfi,who wants to legalise the ban for moral grounds, whereas the current code prohibits grounds mainly political, linked to the monarchy, religion and the question of the territorial integrity of Morocco.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Morocco-Draft-p...
The new draft press law gives police officers the right to seize and ban publications according to the site Lakome which says it obtained a copy of the draft. It says article 40 provides for the prohibition of any printed, written, graphic, sculpture, picture or film that has the incentive to debauchery or adultery or crime, especially because of its pornographic content.
In this case, all the paintings and sculptures, including classic works of art that reveal the details of the human body in the future will fall within the scope of sanctions under this bill, Lakome asserts.
Article 41 of the draft Code provides for the punishment of the crimes referred to in Article 40 fines ranging from 50, 000 to 100, 000 dirhams. The same article states that police officers are entitled as soon as they become aware of and after having informed the public prosecutor to seize publications, prints, drawings, prints, images or movies containing the objects mentioned in the previous article, and when importing, or at a exhibition or when presented to the public's attention. This means that the discretion of a police officer will be critical to determine whether or not the subject deserves the ban, which would normally be imposed by a court decision, Lakome observes.
The so-called "red lines" regarding the monarchy, religion and the Sahara remain in Article 33 of the proposal which incorporatesArticle 41 of the Press Code in force.
Thus, Article 33 states that it is possible to prohibit the dissemination of publications and foreign magazines and their sale or exposure to public attention if they have an offence to Islam, the Kingdom's territorial integrity or the monarchy, or has a lack of respect or reverence to the king's person or members of the royal family and anything that might disturb public order or cause injury to minors.
This item is no different from Article 41 of the Press Code today, except that the sentence was deleted while the ban was upheld, Lakome remarks . Indeed, Article 41 states that any person present who disrespects the King, their Royal Highnesses the Princes and Princesses shall be punished by imprisonment for a term between three and five years and a fine ranging from 10,000 100,000 dirhams, the same penalty applies if a newspaper or magazine has an affront to Islam, the royal institution or territorial integrity ... ".
In this case, all the paintings and sculptures, including classic works of art that reveal the details of the human body in the future will fall within the scope of sanctions under this bill, Lakome asserts.
Article 41 of the draft Code provides for the punishment of the crimes referred to in Article 40 fines ranging from 50, 000 to 100, 000 dirhams. The same article states that police officers are entitled as soon as they become aware of and after having informed the public prosecutor to seize publications, prints, drawings, prints, images or movies containing the objects mentioned in the previous article, and when importing, or at a exhibition or when presented to the public's attention. This means that the discretion of a police officer will be critical to determine whether or not the subject deserves the ban, which would normally be imposed by a court decision, Lakome observes.
The so-called "red lines" regarding the monarchy, religion and the Sahara remain in Article 33 of the proposal which incorporatesArticle 41 of the Press Code in force.
Thus, Article 33 states that it is possible to prohibit the dissemination of publications and foreign magazines and their sale or exposure to public attention if they have an offence to Islam, the Kingdom's territorial integrity or the monarchy, or has a lack of respect or reverence to the king's person or members of the royal family and anything that might disturb public order or cause injury to minors.
This item is no different from Article 41 of the Press Code today, except that the sentence was deleted while the ban was upheld, Lakome remarks . Indeed, Article 41 states that any person present who disrespects the King, their Royal Highnesses the Princes and Princesses shall be punished by imprisonment for a term between three and five years and a fine ranging from 10,000 100,000 dirhams, the same penalty applies if a newspaper or magazine has an affront to Islam, the royal institution or territorial integrity ... ".
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Morocco-Draft-p...