DR ‹ › The main trade unions and professional organizations in the press sector are denouncing the «falsehoods» contained in statements made by the Minister of Communication regarding the draft law reorganizing the National Press Council (CNP). The minister had claimed, before the Chamber of Advisors on December 1, that 80% of the observations submitted by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) and the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) had been integrated into the text. The organizations (SNPM, FMEJ, UMT, CDT, and the Moroccan Confederation of Newspaper and Electronic Media Publishers) point out that the opinions of the CNDH and CESE were only formalized in September, months after the draft law was submitted to Parliament in July, and question how these recommendations could have possibly been incorporated. They call on the minister to disclose these alleged «80% of observations», arguing that withholding them undermines the transparency of the legislative process. They also condemn the scandal sparked by a video attributed to members of the ethics committee of the provisional commission overseeing the sector. The footage includes remarks described as humiliating and degrading toward journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui. The organizations are demanding legal action. They further accuse the government of attempting to take control of the CNP, in contradiction with Morocco's constitutional principles and its international commitments. They reaffirm their outright rejection of the draft law and advocate instead for a self-regulation model based on independence, internal democracy, and the election of professional representatives. Finally, they welcome the critical positions expressed by several members of the Chamber of Advisors and call for genuine social dialogue to draft a consensual reform that safeguards freedom of expression and ensures a professional framework that respects the press's mission.
