FRANCE PRESS

CASABLANCA, Morocco: The Casablanca appeal court in Morocco has again refused freedom to the convicted chief editor of the newspaper Al Massae, Rachid Niny, a judicial source said Tuesday.
Niny has been in detention since April and was sentenced on June 9 to one year in prison and a fine of 100 euros (144 dollars) for "disinformation" by a lower Casablanca court.

He was accused of writing articles in Al Massae, an Arabic-language daily with a wide circulation, that criticised the national counter-espionage agency and called for it to be placed under parliamentary control.

Lawyers for the journalist have several times asked for bail for Nini, on the grounds that he is "no criminal", while several lawmakers have said they would stand bail for him.
Several non-governmental organisations, including Amnesty International's Moroccan branch, have jointly called for "immediate freedom" for the journalist, whom they say is being held in violation of the press code.