HIBAPRESS – Mohamed El Harouali
The primary court in Marrakech ruled, at the initial stage, to acquit a media outlet and its publishing director of the charges against them, following a complaint filed by a local official who considered himself concerned by a previously published article.
The complainant had accused the media outlet and its publishing director of committing misdemeanors of insult, defamation, and slander, and of violating the privacy of individuals, demanding civil compensation of no less than 200,000 dirhams, claiming that the content of the article had directly harmed him. After discussing the case and examining the various data related to the case, the court decided to accept the complaint in form, and in substance to acquit the accused of all charges against them, with the complainant bearing the costs. The court also declared its lack of jurisdiction to decide on the civil claims, leaving the matter to the competent authority. This ruling, at its initial stage, ends a phase of judicial proceedings that affected the media outlet and its publishing director, after the court considered that the facts presented did not warrant a conviction.
