Under the directives of the Public Prosecution in Temara, Gendarmerie forces in Lghwazi arrested an individual claiming to be a journalist on Monday evening after he got into an argument with the mayor of the city of Skhirat at the city beach during an official mission.
According to multiple sources, the individual in question does not hold a press card and lacks any legal accreditation from the organization he claims to work for, prompting authorities to open an urgent investigation into the incident.
Details of the incident reveal that the mayor intervened in a discussion between the “journalist” and another person, which was described by witnesses as loud and provocative. As a member of the auxiliary forces attempted to calm the situation and reminded the individual to respect the authority’s representative, the latter persisted in his verbal attacks, leading the mayor to contact the gendarmerie.
The individual was taken to the gendarmerie headquarters under the supervision of the Public Prosecution, which ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and a verification of his legal status.
Sources indicated that the individual may face charges of impersonating a journalist, a crime outlined in Moroccan law that carries severe penalties for those unable to provide official legal documents.
The incident highlights once again the issue of impostors posing as journalists, a concern for professionals and observers alike due to the damage it inflicts on the media’s reputation and the manipulation of the profession for personal or dubious purposes.
