The US-based NGO Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged on Friday the Moroccan authorities to release Hamid Mahdaoui, director and editor-in-chief of the Badil.info news website, arrested on Thursday in Al Hoceima. «Moroccan authorities should release Hamid Mahdaoui and drop all charges against the journalist», said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program coordinator Sherif Mansour. «Journalists in Morocco should be free to report on matters of public importance without fear of reprisal», adds Mansour quoted in the press release. The latter also talks to journalist Omar Benaddi, according to whom «Mahdaoui was interrogated (Friday) and must appear for a trial (this Saturday).» CPJ recalls that the editor of Badil.info was arrested by the police while he was in Al Hoceima, in the Rif region, to provide coverage of the demonstrations. The association also points out that Mahdaoui had already been the subject of legal proceedings, recalling that last month, Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit filed a complaint for defamation against the online media and its director of publication. A statement issued yesterday by the prosecutor's office at the Court of First instance of Al Hoceima indicated that Mahdaoui was prosecuted for «incitement to participate to a prohibited demonstration».
