RABAT: Moroccan journalist Hamid Mahdaoui said he was sentenced on Monday to 18 months in prison on a charge of defamation against justice minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.
Mahdaoui, who is also editor-in-chief of news website Badil.info and an outspoken critic of government policies, was also fined 1.5 million dirhams ($150,000) by the court of first instance in Rabat.
Mahdaoui was sued after he accused Ouahbi of fraud, among other allegations, in a video on his website. Ouahbi has denied the accusations.
“I am innocent … I did not expect this prison sentence,” Mahdaoui told Reuters, adding that he was still undecided whether to appeal against the verdict to a higher court.
“I already presented all my arguments in my defense at court,” he said.
The justice minister was not immediately available for comment after the verdict.
Mahdaoui was sentenced under the penal code, instead of the press code which does not include jail terms, said Khadija Riadi of the Moroccan human rights group AMDH.
Mahdaoui was released in July 2020, after spending three years in jail on the charge of not reporting a crime against state security.
Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
https://arab.news/52x8s
Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
- Hamid Mahdaoui was also fined $150,000 for allegedly defaming the justice minister
Spotify and Dubai Culture sign MoU to support local talent development
DUBAI: Spotify and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month aimed at supporting the growth of local musical talent.
The partnership will include the sharing of insights, data and analytics, as well as practical support to help UAE-based artists sustain and progress their careers, the organizations said.
As part of the MoU, Spotify and Dubai Culture will launch joint programs and develop a series of music-led projects focused on the emirate’s creative community.
Talent development is a core pillar of Dubai Culture’s work, said Her Excellency Hala Badri, director-general of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
She added: “In the music sector, this translates into sustained support that enables musicians to develop, produce, and continue their practice over time. The agreement with Spotify is part of our broader efforts to support artists and creatives at all career stages and to strengthen the professional foundations of the music sector in Dubai.”
For Spotify, the MoU is in line with existing initiatives such as the RADAR Arabia program and the Fresh Finds Arabia playlist, which highlight and support local emerging talent.
As a global hub connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, Dubai is playing an increasingly important role in the region’s music economy, said Gustav Gyllenhammar, senior vice president of markets and subscriptions at Spotify.
Through the collaboration with Dubai Culture, he added, Spotify is “helping build a stronger local music ecosystem, supporting discovery and helping music coming out of Dubai reach listeners around the world.”
