Editor: | Driss Ksikes |
Editor Title: | Editor-in-chief= |
Category: | News magazine |
Publisher: | Ahmed Benchemsi |
Founder: | Ahmed Benchemsi |
Firstdate: | September 2006 |
Finaldate: | October 2010 |
Country: | Morocco |
Based: | Casablanca |
Language: | Moroccan Arabic Berber |
Nichane (meaning "direct" in Moroccan Arabic and Berber:نيشان) (formerly Aljareeda Alokhra) was a Moroccan weekly arabophone and darijophone (in Moroccan Arabic) news magazine.
Nichane was published from September 2006 to October 2010.[1] Its editor-in-chief was Driss Ksikes.[2]
The magazine was a sister publication of the French-language Tel Quel magazine[1] and was based in Casablanca.[3] [4]
On 20 December 2006, then Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou issued a statement prohibiting thus the diffusion and distribution of Nichane.[5] This prohibition came as a result of the publishing of "provocative jokes" related to religion, and the late King of Morocco, Hassan II.[2]
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.[6] Both journalists defended their article.[7]
In December 2009, police destroyed 100,000 copies of the magazine after it printed an unauthorized opinion poll of Moroccan King Mohammed VI.[8]
In October 2010, publisher Ahmed Benchemsi announced the closure of the magazine, citing an advertiser boycott by royally-owned ONA/SNI holding group.[3] [9]