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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Journalists fined over Islam joke | Journalists fined over Islam joke |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A court in Casablanca has given two Moroccan journalists suspended sentences of three years for defaming Islam and breaching public morality. | A court in Casablanca has given two Moroccan journalists suspended sentences of three years for defaming Islam and breaching public morality. |
| The journalists' weekly magazine, Nichane, had published an article entitled How Moroccans laugh at religion, sex and politics. | The journalists' weekly magazine, Nichane, had published an article entitled How Moroccans laugh at religion, sex and politics. |
| The court banned publication of the magazine for two months and fined Driss Ksikes and Sanaa al-Aji about $8,000. | The court banned publication of the magazine for two months and fined Driss Ksikes and Sanaa al-Aji about $8,000. |
| The journalists said the jokes they published were in common usage. | The journalists said the jokes they published were in common usage. |
| Their lawyer says they plan to appeal against the sentence. | Their lawyer says they plan to appeal against the sentence. |
| The prosecutor had urged sentences of three to five years, saying journalists must balance liberties and responsibilities. | The prosecutor had urged sentences of three to five years, saying journalists must balance liberties and responsibilities. |
| Their article had featured jokes about God, the prophets and the Moroccan king, which deeply insulted many ordinary Moroccans and their religion, says the BBC's Richard Hamilton in Casablanca. | Their article had featured jokes about God, the prophets and the Moroccan king, which deeply insulted many ordinary Moroccans and their religion, says the BBC's Richard Hamilton in Casablanca. |
| The two journalists, backed by many international organisations, feel their prosecution was a blow to press freedom, says our correspondent. |