Comments on: Morocco: War on Press Continues

By: Global Voices Online » Morocco: Where Independent Media is No More

Global Voices Online » Morocco: Where Independent Media is No More — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:07:20 +0000

[...] have been mounting attacks on freedom of expression in Morocco lately, targeting journalists as well as bloggers as we consistently have been reporting on Global Voices Online recently. So [...]

By: Manus McManus

Manus McManus — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:13:36 +0000

Sorry its “throw you in jail” and have you tortured.

By: Manus McManus

Manus McManus — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:10:15 +0000

There is an old saying in Morocco that goes like this:
“When the Knights talk about the feats of their stallions ABBOU brings up his mule”. We have to keep an element of perspective and compare apples with apples. Although I understand the frustration experienced by some Americans vis-à-vis their media and as Noam Chomsky beautifully sums it up in this quote: “” Any dictator would admire the uniformity and obedience of the U.S media.”, the situation in Morocco is extremely different and even unique. Historically, Political traditions inherited from the French and the authoritarianism of the monarchy has created a legal framework that allows the government to restrict the flow of information and particularly control the written Press. On the other hand the Moroccan Press is highly subsidised by the government to keep quiet. The very existence of these subsidies is difficult to square with the making of a free press. Whereas in the US the press play an important role in opinion shaping and to certain extent “Brain washing”, is mainly controlled by the special interest that have their own agendas and as Goethe puts it: “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”. However, in Morocco people can see very clearly through this masquerade and understand that the vey notion of the “Tawabit” is there to be used to muzzle people up. The difference between God and the King is that one is powerless and the other can through you in jail and have you tortured.

By: Readers Edition » Marokko: Der Krieg gegen die Presse geht weiter

Readers Edition » Marokko: Der Krieg gegen die Presse geht weiter — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:40:38 +0000

[...] Beitrag erschien zuerst auf Global Voices. Die Übersetzung erfolgte durch Hans H. Knauf, Teil des “Project Lingua“. Die [...]

By: Jillian C. York

Jillian C. York — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:30:20 +0000

I’m on Team Naoufel for this one: There are plenty of horribly arrogant journalists in Morocco, the US, and elsewhere, but I support each of their right to free speech regardless of what obnoxious drivel they have to say!