Moroccan Blogger Jailed for Disparaging King

RABAT (Reuters) -A blogger who accused Morocco’s monarchy of encouraging a culture ofdependency where loyalty is rewarded with favors has been jailed forshowing disrespect for King Mohammed, his family and rights groups saidon Tuesday.

Mohamed Erraji, 29, wrote in online newspaper Hespress that thenorth African kingdom had been destroyed by the practice of handing outcharity or gifts such as taxi licenses to a lucky few, which encouragedpeople to beg.

"This has made the Moroccans a people without dignity, who live by donations and gifts," he wrote.

Police arrested Erraji on Friday and he was brought for trial onMonday in Agadir without the presence of a defense lawyer, according toa member of his family. He was given a two-year prison sentence andfined 5,000 dirhams ($626).

"He was judged in 10 minutes," said the relative who said he waspresent at the trial. "The judge passed sentence very quickly but wecouldn’t hear what was being said. He had no opportunity to explainhimself."

Reporters Without Borders said the sentence was "worthy of the most totalitarian states" and demanded Erraji’s liberation.

Government officials could not be reached for comment.

Erraji, from a poor family in the small town of Biougra near Agadir,suffers from weak health and lacks a regular job, said the relative whoasked not to be named.

"Mohamed has only a basic education but he is a free thinker who simply wants the best for his country," he said.

The head of Moroccan human rights group AMDH, Khadija Riyadi, saidErraji’s comments did not constitute an insult to the king but werepolitical view’s on how Morocco is governed.

"The basic elements of a fair trial were not respected," she said. "It happened so quickly that all his rights were flouted."

Morocco’s press code makes it an offence to show disrespect to the king.

A young man who set up a profile in the name of King Mohammed’sbrother Moulay Rachid on social networking site Facebook was jailed inFebruary but released a month later by royal pardon after a worldwideInternet campaign.

(Reporting by Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)