The Moroccan National Press Council announced today filing a complaint against French newspapers “Charlie Hebdo” and “Liberation” over their “unethical” coverage of the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco’s Al Haouz region on September 8.
The Council decried the newspapers’ breach of ethical journalism standards in their coverage of the natural disaster, describing their actions as “unacceptable” and detrimental to the principles of solidarity and support for disaster victims.
The Council has formally filed a complaint with the President of the French Press and Mediation Ethics Council, urging appropriate action in accordance with established international ethical norms.
On September 15, Charlie Hebdo published a caricature “inciting a lack of solidarity and discouraging contributions to support the victims of the earthquake in Morocco,” said the council in a press release.
The National Press Council condemned this move, emphasizing that it violated the fundamental principle of assisting victims of natural disasters. In addition, it deemed the caricature by Charlie Hebdo inconsiderate and hurtful to the earthquake victims and their families, who are in desperate need of support and humanitarian assistance.
“Many of them have lost their families and breadwinners, including orphaned children unrelated to diplomatic disputes or political problems,” the Moroccan press council said.
