RABAT, May 02, 2013 (AFP)
Morocco's national press union voiced concern on Thursday over a rise in violence against journalists, in its annual report, and said it was closely following the progress of a draft new press code.
"Physical aggression towards journalists by the security forces seems to be an additional method, alongside court trials, of preventing them from achieving their duty to inform," said the union's president Younes Moujahid.
"We have the impression that officials want journalists only to cover official events and ceremonies," he added.
Communications Minister Mustapha Khalfi recently underlined the "government's strong commitment to ensuring the freedom of the press," which he said was improving "slowly but surely."
In its 2013 press freedom index, media watchdog Reporters Without Border ranked Morocco 136th in 179 countries.
A draft new press code is under study which envisages the suppression of custodial sentences for articles challenging the monarchy, religion, and Morocco's "territorial integrity," a phrase commonly used to refer to the disputed Western Sahara.
The three subjects are considered "red lines" in Morocco which can incur punitive measures by the authorities if crossed.
In its report, the press union welcomed the proposed changes, but warned that the new code "will be submitted to a long process of negotiations and discussion that may end up making it more restrictive."