(MENAFN- Morocco World News) Rabat – Two Spanish journalists in Tetouan were expelled from Morocco on Tuesday night without explanation, provoking outrage from the Spanish Federation of Journalist Associations (FAPE).
José Luis Navazo, director of Correo Diplomatico, which first , and Fernando Sanz, a fellow writer for the Spanish-language publication, were taken from Navazo's familial residence in Tetouan around 8 p.m. by three plain clothed officers for the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN). The two men were then transported to the police department of CentralTetouan, without taking any personal belongings.
After an hour in the car without interrogation, the journalists were taken to the Tarajal border crossing to Ceuta, 35 kilometres from Tetouan, where their passports were stamped. The duo wasthen expelled without receiving any explanation.
Despite not knowing why they were removed from the kingdom, the journalists affirmed that Moroccan police acted with "the maximum correction and even with courtesy."
Upon entering the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the two journalists reported their expulsion to the official for the Spanish police in Tarajal.
Based in Ceuta, the Spanish-language online publication Correo Diplomatico writes about North African politics and has made extensive coverage of the ongoing Rif crisis.
Navazo, who is has lived in Morocco for 17 years and is married to a Moroccan woman with whom he has two children, interviewed leading Rif activist Nasser Zafzafi in winter and head of government Saadeddine El Othmani in March.
A statement by FAPE and the Valladolid Association of Journalists (APV), of which Sanz is General Secretary, condemned Morocco's actions and called upon the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Alfonso Dastis, to intervene. In their joint statement, they said demanded Dastis find "the appropriate explanations from his Moroccan counterpart" for the deportation.
The communiqué warned that rather than "silencing facts," deporting journalists "causes the opposite effect and motivates unanimous condemnation from democratic states, their institutions, organizations, and citizens."
The joint FAPE-APV message alsocautioned the Moroccan government that " a country that pretends to offer an image of democracy to the world will struggle to achieve this by limiting freedom of information and expression."
Yasmine Kacha, head of the North African region for NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said that Moroccan authorities were using the Rif region to attack journalists.
"The Moroccan regime is gradually changing the Rif region into a zone without access to information for independent media, through physica lattacks on journalists presentat demonstrations, arrests of informants, and blocking of telecommunications," said Kacha.
The RSF reported earlier this week that eight Moroccan journalists had been detained or gone missing.
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