Morocco: Journalist Convicted on Dubious Charge

(Tunis) – A Moroccan court has sentenced a prominent journalist to three years in prison on a dubious charge of failing to report a security threat, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities have repeatedly prosecuted Hamid El Mahdaoui, known for criticizing the Moroccan government on social media, including for charges that violated his right to peaceful speech. He is already serving a one-year sentence for “inciting people to participate in an unauthorized protest.” Expand Screenshot of a video of Moroccan journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui, on his YouTube channel. © 2017 Otmane Oulad Sihda/Badil.info…

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