In Morocco, two French journalists expelled for investigating the authorities

2023-09-21 09:41:02

Two French journalists were expelled on Wednesday September 20 from Morocco where they were working on an article on the authorities and the security system, one of the reporters told AFP.

Quentin Müller, deputy editor-in-chief of the international service of the French review Marianneand Thérèse Di Campo, independent photographer, were arrested during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday at their hotel in Casablanca, ” without explanation “declared Mr. Müller.

Read also: Earthquake in Morocco: an envelope of 11 billion euros for the affected areas

Around ten men in civilian clothes took them to the city’s airport where they stayed for several hours in the premises of the judicial police before being expelled, he added.

Asked by AFP, the Moroccan authorities did not immediately comment.

For five days, the two reporters had notably investigated King Mohamed VI and met with “Moroccan personalities under surveillance”explained Mr. Müller to AFP. “That’s why we were arrested, there is no other explanation”he estimated, describing his arrest as “purely political”.

“Brutal attack on press freedom”

The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounced, on the X platform (formerly Twitter), “a brutal and unacceptable attack on press freedom”.

These expulsions come against a backdrop of tensions in relations between Morocco and France, which manifested themselves again after the earthquake which struck the Marrakech region on September 8.

Since then, Moroccan commentators have strongly criticized the coverage of the earthquake by French media, deeming it impartial and biased against King Mohamed VI.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers King Mohammed VI in Marrakech to dispel emerging unease around the political response

On Wednesday, the National Press Council (CNP) announced in a press release that it had sent a complaint to the French Journalistic Ethics and Mediation Council (CDJM) regarding publications appearing in newspapers. Charlie Hebdo et Release. The CNP denounced « violations » registering “in a context of attacks by several French media against Morocco and its institutions, after the Moroccan authorities did not follow up on the aid offered by France after the earthquake”.

The World with AFP