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Morocco: Jailed for Posting Caricature on Facebook PDF Print
HISHAM G.
Thursday, 09 February 2012 11:13

On February 7, 2012, Walid Bahomane appeared before a court in the Moroccan capital Rabat. The 18-year-old is accused of “defaming Morocco's sacred values” by posting pictures and videos on Facebook mocking king Mohammed VI of Morocco.

This isn't the first time a Moroccan internet user faces such charges. In 2008 Fouad Mourtada, a young engineer, was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating the king’s brother on Facebook. An international outcry and a campaign of support forced the authorities to release Mr Mourtada a month after his arrest.

Walid Bahomane's arrest is the first since a constitutional reform last summer (theoretically) revoked the “sacred” character of the monarch. The king is still, however, the focus of a great deal of devotion in the country.

A copy of the police report filed against Mr Bahomane emerged on the internet, revealing a first: according to the document, items seized by the police are “two Facebook pages (sic) containing phrases and images insulting the sacred values, and an IBM computer.​​”

Copy of the police report filed against Mr. Walid Bahomane as posted on Facebook.

Despite calls for his release the judge decided to send Walid to a juvenile detention facility near the capital pending his trial. A group of netizens have reacted to the arrest of Mr Bahomane by creating a support group on Facebook called “Mohammed VI, my freedom is more sacred than you!“, where members are invited to publish and share cartoons of the king.

 


 

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Hassan bnou Mammah said:

Vive M6!!!!
Another i***t who doesn't know that our beloved king is sacred. So let this be an example to all of you. And those who ask why is the king sacred?? I say why not??
In India cows are sacred. In America the dollar is sacred. In Morocco the king is sacred. What's the problem??!

Anyway, this kid should feel lucky because this is Morocco a.k.a Sidikistan/Lalakistan and not of those backward countries like Afghanistan.
02/16/12

arron said:

What happened to the freedom of speach.....
What happened to the freedom of speach... it was only a joke and he is young and folish, i am sure he didnt mean any harm nor any desrespect to the king of morocco. i say a slap in the wrist and free the boy, a jail is a very harsh punishment for a s****d folish picturs or videos.
London, escorts
02/15/12

Mohamed Belkhayat said:

Images
I don't know. But the guy is 18 for God Sake. May be community service could be an answer. I have not seen the images and how bad they could be. The bottom line is no one is safe these days from internet defamation. The internet is not something you can delete easily. I know there are no comparisons but look at the sick video of Obama on youtube! do they make any less respected in the US or in the world at large? I think these images as bad as they are actually humble us before our fellow human beings and remind us of our vulnerabilities and frailty lest that one day we think we are sacred again. This reminds me of a story about Moses the prophet. I don't know if it true but it fits the context. Moses got tired of people saying bad things about him so he asked God to stop people from doing that. So God said to him: "I have not done that for my self why should I do that for you?" I guess the question is this: is distorting the image of the king a harmful act? if it is, then we need to answer how? we need to prove that the king or his subjects will suffer some meaningful loss and not just in someone's imagination. I say if the images are really bad give the kid a few hours of community service and let him go..
02/12/12

man en blanc said:

Another head-scratcher.
Incidents like this one confirm to me once again that I really don't understand what the regime is trying to do. Is it arrogance? Is it Trying the provoke an-already frustrated populace? Is it Searching for the spark that would start a raging forest fire?
Well. Keep playing with the cobra...
02/11/12

Morcelli said:

...
Yes how about this guy in Italy. it is not about blogging and and being arrested for saying bad things
"
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/hassan-currently-homeless-settles-temporary-bed-blankets-porta-photo-103029775.html "
02/11/12

Moroccan Patriot said:

There are much more important issues out there.
I disagree with putting people in jail for expressing their points of View.

However, we must remember that not ALL speech is protected. Where is the social utility of putting someone in a dress and putting lipstick on them? It is offensive and very low brow. More importantly, it shifts the focus away from serious issues to a realm where it is all about venting and being disrespectful.

I am not a big fan of autocratic despots, particularly ones who pay no taxes and waste gov. resources of Palaces and thousands of staff members who could be doing things a lot more useful than guarding walls. However, I am against making fun of people through name calling or photoshop - these people, no matter what evil they may have done, have families that may be relatively innocent. How would you like to see someone posting a picture of your mother or father photo shopped on the internet doing something distasteful? It is just plain rude.

Now, the solution is clearly NOT jail. However, in Morocco, the public defamation laws are very, very strict. You can actually technically go to jail in Morocco for cursing at someone. You have to be very careful with what you say. This kid should have had his face book access blocked by his parents a long time ago. It is, after all their responsibility to protect his interests.

02/11/12

mbt said:

...
Zemmour how long will you live to say "Long live the king"? And indeed Allah yarham all of us.
02/10/12

Zemmour said:

...
Long live the King. Allah yarham Hassan II.
02/09/12

mbt said:

Nobody lives for ever
Zemmour nobody lives for long, we all have to go one day, better to go with dignity then suffer the fate akin to Gaddafi.
02/09/12

Sahrane said:

zemmour tazmamart
@zemmour
you're entiteld to your opinion .however i think you're misguided never the less
02/09/12

S Hassi said:

Hassan2 & M6 two faces of the same coin MAKHZIN
The King may come across as a nice open minded easy going kind of guy but believe you me he is neither, in fact he is very touchy about anything to do with his image or his cronies ( thieves ), and even with the soccer team , the King is the one who is not in favour of Zaki to take over!!!! In the old dark days Hassan2 used to be called the first musician , the first sportsman , the first cook , the first dancer etc ( to us he was simply the first thief), soon we will have the same old first class nenses . By the way Morcelli your link doesnt work
02/09/12

Morcelli said:

...
When is the next holiday in Morocco to issue a royal pardon to this kid? Is it la fete du mouton?

I just do not understand that in 2011 people still get arrested for playing with Photoshop. So much for the constitution approved by 98% of "Moroccans".

I love the brilliant idea of sharing/publishing cartoons depicting the king. This will teach the dogs of Morocco a lesson that arresting kids for blogging is no no. This is no longer Hassan II's era

" http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net...133607934
8_n.jpg "
02/09/12

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