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French journalists accused by Morocco of blackmail

moroccokingTwo French journalists have been accused of trying to blackmail the king of Morocco. The journalists claim it was entrapment.

Eric Laurent and Catherine Graciet are accused of demanding €2 million from King Mohammed VI (pictured) in exchange for not publishing a book which allegedly made damaging claims about the monarchy and its financial affairs.

The pair, both freelance investigative journalists, are known for their critical writing about the monarchy in Morocco.

They were arrested in Paris after having met with a Moroccan official during which they allegedly accepted an offer of €40,000 each. According to a Moroccan government lawyer, the meetings were recorded and they were “caught red-handed”.

Laurent, 68, said there had been a personal financial transaction, but it was not blackmail. His lawyer said it had been a trap.

Laurent told the paper Le Monde that he made contact with the king’s office in July to inform them of the allegations in the book and seek their response.  This was followed by an August meeting in Paris with a lawyer for the king who allegedly told him: “It’s not really a book we want to see coming out,” and offered to pay the journalist in exchange for not publishing the book. Laurent told Le Monde he accepted the proposal of money for personal reasons and in order not to “destablise Morocco”.

Laurent said the reason for talking about a deal was that the allegations could damage the monarchy and create a power struggle in Morocco.

“It’s extremely sensitive,” he said. “I’ve been doing this job for 30 years and I admit that with this, I’d had enough of it. It’s a very complex subject concerning the royal family and certain behaviours. So I said to myself, no matter what reservations one can have about the monarchy, one doesn’t want to see an Islamic republic installed. If he offers a [financial] transaction, why not?”

Replying to a question about journalistic ethics, Laurent said: “I’ve got no lessons on ethics to take from anyone … It’s my book, my work, I have the right to publish or not publish. I can do what I like.”

Graciet’s lawyer also said there had been a “financial deal” and that Graciet had been trapped.

Graciet told the media she had “fallen into a trap”. Allowing herself to be tempted, she went along with the deal in a moment of weakness, she said.

The two have said they would now like to see the book published, but their publisher has separately said it will not do so.

Both are on bail and are banned from making contact with each other.

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Comments  

0 #1 Edmund 2015-08-31 22:00
These French were quite obviously trying it on. Willing to take the money to not publish then presumably went back for more. And more. Now - caught out they still want to publish to punish these fine upstanding people.

The Moroccans. Surprising Portugal is not shaking its fist at France as these were the original core blood line of the Portuguese. Where is their loyalty to their roots ?

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