Le Journal Hebdomadaire
Encyclopedia
Le Journal Hebdomadaire was a French language
, Moroccan
weekly magazine
, published between 1997 and 2010 . It had an Arabic language
counterpart called Assahifa Al Ousbouia
.
in Morocco. Its editor-in-chief is Aboubakr Jamaï. Its main office is located in Casablanca
, Morocco.
s on the newspaper have been fined for news coverage that "affected the stability of the state". Its original name was Le Journal, but it reincarnated as Le Journal Hebdomadaire after being banned by the government in December 2000.
On February 16, 2006, the magazine was fined the equivalent of 350,000 euro
in a defamation after criticising a report on the Polisario Front
's alleged ties to terrorist groups in the Sahel and its misuse of international humanitarian aid, which the magazine said appeared to copy Moroccan state propaganda. The press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders
(RSF) described the trial as "politically motivated and unfair", and said that it could prove a "fatal blow" to the weekly magazine.
Eventually the magazine closed down in February 2010.
, although it in fact showed only a photograph of a man holding the French
France Soir
with the cartoons blotted out.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
weekly magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, published between 1997 and 2010 . It had an Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
counterpart called Assahifa Al Ousbouia
Assahifa Al Ousbouia
Assahifa Al Ousbouia is an Arabic language weekly magazine in Morocco.The paper is a sister publication of Le Journal Hebdomadaire.It publishes 23 000 copies weekly. it was the second largest weekly in Morocco, after "al ayam"....
.
Background
It is privately owned, and has an independent and critical editorial line against the Moroccan government. It is a strong advocate of democratic reform, and often broaches subjects that are politically or culturally tabooTaboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
in Morocco. Its editor-in-chief is Aboubakr Jamaï. Its main office is located in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco.
Censorship
The magazine has been subjected to repeated instances of judicial trials, and editors and journalistJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s on the newspaper have been fined for news coverage that "affected the stability of the state". Its original name was Le Journal, but it reincarnated as Le Journal Hebdomadaire after being banned by the government in December 2000.
On February 16, 2006, the magazine was fined the equivalent of 350,000 euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
in a defamation after criticising a report on the Polisario Front
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
's alleged ties to terrorist groups in the Sahel and its misuse of international humanitarian aid, which the magazine said appeared to copy Moroccan state propaganda. The press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
(RSF) described the trial as "politically motivated and unfair", and said that it could prove a "fatal blow" to the weekly magazine.
Eventually the magazine closed down in February 2010.
Jyllands-Posten's Muhammad cartoons
Le Journal was criticised for reprinting cartoons from the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyJyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
, although it in fact showed only a photograph of a man holding the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
France Soir
France Soir
France Soir is a French daily newspaper that prospered during the 1950s and 1960s, but it has declined since then under various owners. It was re-launched as a populist tabloid in 2006.-History:...
with the cartoons blotted out.