Morocco Website Fined for Defaming King's Private Secretary

A Casablanca court ordered a Moroccan website on Monday to pay 46,000 euros in damages for defaming the king's private secretary, Mounir El Majidi, media reports said.

The H24 and TelQuel.ma sites reported that Goud.ma was prosecuted for reprinting in a press review allegations about Majidi, cited in his capacity as a businessman.

Majidi sued for defamation and sought five million dirhams (460,000 euros) in damages.

His lawyers said the article contained "lies and falsifications" about their client.

The case opened in March, and on Monday Goud was ordered to pay damages of 500,000 dirhams (46,000 euros), defence lawyer Hassan Semlali said.

He told TelQuel the website would appeal, saying the judgment was "not objective and without basis".

Ahmed Najim, the director of Goud, was not reachable for comment.