30 NGOs reject a Morocco bill that restricts freedom of expression on social media

More than 30 associations and organizations based both in Morocco and abroad have reacted, Wednesday, to controversy stirred by a bill on social media use in the Kingdom.

In a press release sent to Yabiladi, they questioned the timing that «government has chosen to present this text».

They said that they were «surprised at his bill that has been approved by the Council of Government», without being published by its general secretariat as provided for in article 78 of the Constitution.

Referring to the bill leaked to social media, the signatories referred to a «new attempt to attack and restrict freedom of expression on social media». «The articles in this bill appear on several levels to be unconstitutional», the associations claimed.

Thus, the signatories call for «the outright abandonment of Bill 22-20» and «respect of freedom of expression and the right of access to information especially during the health crisis». They also say they refuse «the privatization of internet censorship or any other measure that could affect internet neutrality» and reject «any infringement of consumer rights, in particular calling for the boycott».