Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Gendarmes Harass Family of Cartoonist Living in France

Reporters Without Borders has said Moroccan gendarmes have been harassing the family of cartoonist Khalid Gueddar, who currently lives in France. Gendarmes visited his family in Ain Aouda (near Rabat) five times on 2 November 2006, requesting information about his activities.

Gueddar draws cartoons for such media as the Madrid-based "El Mundo" newspaper and the satirical website http://www.Bakchich.info, but the gendarmes' attempts at intimidation were apparently prompted by a cartoon in the 19 October issue of the weekly "Courrier International" that accompanied an article by journalist Ali Lmrabet questioning the political will of the Moroccan authorities to stamp out drug trafficking.

As well as the repeated visits, the gendarmes also asked Gueddar's brother to give them the official family record book without offering any valid explanation for their request.

Gueddar is well known in Morocco for his satirical cartoons. He used to be the cartoonist of the Moroccan weekly "Demain Magazine" until it was banned and its editor, Lmrabet, wsentenced to three years in prison in June 2003.

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