''Nichane'' (meaning ''Direct'' in

Moroccan Arabic Moroccan Arabic ( ar, العربية المغربية الدارجة, translit=al-ʻArabīya al-Maghribīya ad-Dārija ), also known as Darija (), is the dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghreb ...

and Berber:نيشان) (formerly ''Aljareeda Alokhra'') was a Moroccan weekly

arabophone Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

and darijophone (in Moroccan Arabic) news magazine.

History and profile

''Nichane'' was published from September 2006 to October 2010. Its

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

was

Driss Ksikes Driss Ksikes (born 1968 in Casablanca) is a Moroccan journalist. Career He had been an editor-in-chief of the francophone Tel Quel magazine. In 2006, he left TelQuel to be the editor-in-chief and director of publication of the arabophone and ...

. The magazine was a sister publication of the French-language ''

Tel Quel ''Tel Quel'' (translated into English as, variously: "as is," "as such," or "unchanged") was a French avant-garde literary magazine published between 1960 and 1982. History and profile ''Tel Quel'' was founded in 1960 in Paris by Philippe Soll ...

'' magazine and was based in Casablanca.

Censorship

On 20 December 2006, then Moroccan Prime Minister

Driss Jettou Driss Jettou ( ar, إدريس جطو; born 24 May 1945) is a Moroccan politician, who served as the Prime Minister of Morocco from 2002 to 2007. Early life and education Jettou was born in the town of El Jadida on 24 May 1945. After secondary s ...

issued a statement prohibiting thus the diffusion and distribution of Nichane. This prohibition came as a result of the publishing of "provocative jokes" related to religion, and the late King of Morocco,

Hassan II Hassan, Hasan, Hassane, Haasana, Hassaan, Asan, Hassun, Hasun, Hassen, Hasson or Hasani may refer to: People * Hassan (given name), Arabic given name and a list of people with that given name *Hassan (surname), Arabic, Jewish, Irish, and Scotti ...

. Driss Ksikes and another journalist, Sanaa El Aji, were prosecuted for "defaming Islam and damaging morality" and sentenced to fines of 80,000 dirhams each and three-year suspended sentences. Additionally, the magazine was banned for two months. Both journalists defended their article. In December 2009, police destroyed 100,000 copies of the magazine after it printed an unauthorized opinion poll of Moroccan King Mohammed VI. In October 2010, publisher Ahmed Benchemsi announced the closure of the magazine, citing an advertiser boycott by royally-owned ONA/SNI holding group.

References

External links

*
''Nichane''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichane 2006 establishments in Morocco 2010 disestablishments in Morocco Arabic-language magazines Censorship in Morocco Defunct magazines published in Morocco Magazines established in 2006 Magazines disestablished in 2010 Mass media in Casablanca News magazines published in Africa Weekly news magazines Banned magazines