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Fouad Mourtada is Free!!!!!!

Fouad Mourtada is Free!

CASABLANCA, March 18 - Fouad Mourtada was released from Oukacha Prison at approximately 8:00pm local time today, having received a royal pardon.

Congratulations Fouad, I'm so happy for you!

Oh my gosh, I'm at a loss of words.....I'm all choked up and teary eyed!

Your highness, I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Barakallahu fik!            

                                                                                        

King grants pardon to 566 people on Id Al-mawlid

Rabat, Mar. 19 - Some 566 people were granted royal pardon Wednesday on the occasion of Id Al-mawlid (Prophet's birthday), including the commutation of the life imprisonment to four convicts.

The king granted total pardon to four convicts, while 466 inmates had their sentenced reduced, according to a Justice Ministry statement issued on Wednesday.

Fouad Mourtada deserves to be free!

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Please scroll down for newer post.

Thanks for your support.

[Help Free FOUAD / Soutenez la libération de FOUAD]

Update 3/13/08

Fouad Mourtada Committee sends...

Hi Najia,

BBC radio aired a program yesterday and they talked about Fouad Mourtada, by the occasion of the first international day of freedom of expression on the internet (organized by Reporters Sans Frontieres RSF).

Here is a link to the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7291699.stm

-As you will read in the article, the moroccan government spokesperson, Mr Khalid Naciri, said that he finds Fouad's sentence excessive.

-Tahar Ben Jelloun, a famous moroccan writer who writes in french, said in a switzerland radio show, about Fouad's condamnation "it's ridiculous and scandalous"

-Sion Assidon, a huge moroccan intellectual (an ex prisoner of opinion who was also tortured in the past), said in a moroccan 2M TV show, that Fouad's sentence is excessive

-Letters were sent by associations and parties to moroccan ambassadors in Chile, Belgium (see website helpfouad.com) and in Canada (by Global Importune (http://www.globalimportune.org, letter not available online ) and in France (by a group of independent people, letter not available online)

Fouad's lawyer, Mr Ali Ammar, was told that the date of the appeal will be announced next week.

As of today, it's been 38 days that the prisoner of opinion Fouad Mourtada is incarcerated in jail Oukacha, Casablanca.

As for the international support, here are some statistics:

-About 93,000 citizens have visited the website www.helpfouad.com
-over 8,500 citizens have signed the petition to freeing Fouad http://www.helpfouad.com/7437/index.html
-over 5,300 citizens have joined the "Help Fouad Mourtada - Aidez Fouad Mourtada" facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10427212196
-Photos of Support are still pouring from all countries
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24156360@N07/

Check www.helpfouad.com for more articles and information.

Thank you.

Committee of support for Fouad Mourtada
Comité de soutien à Fouad Mourtada
www.HelpFouad.com

Dear Facebook, don't tell fibs...Free Fouad Mourtada

Facebook Denies Role in Morocco Arrest - WSJ.com

Brandee Barker, a Facebook spokewoman, said in a statement that the company's privacy policy and terms of use allow it to share information with law enforcement and other government agencies "when it has a good faith belief it is legally obligated to do so." But with regard to the fake profile of the prince, "Facebook has shared no such information with the Moroccan authorities," she said.

So the folks at Facebook adamantly deny involvement in Fouad Mourtada's arrest, but are they telling the truth?  Their contradicting statements suggest otherwise.

"Facebook disabled the fake profile after the company determined that the user violated Facebook's terms of use by misrepresenting his identity," Ms. Barker said in the statement.

Dear Facebook, what you're saying doesn't make sense.  For and average person like me, who's IT knowledge is very limited, it leaves only one other option:

The Moroccan authorities hacked into your database to obtain information about Fouad Mourtada.

Is this really what you want us to believe?

Well, I personally find that hard to believe.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY: FREE FOUAD!

Facebook | Help Fouad Mourtada - Aidez Fouad Mourtada

SATURDAY MARCH 1ST: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY: FREE FOUAD!!

58,000+ citizens have visited helpfouad.com
5,000+ citizens have signed the petition calling for his release
3,000+ citizens have joined the Help Fouad Facebook group

BECAUSE 3 YEARS OF PRISON FOR A JOKE ON FACEBOOK IS UNJUST....


Please join thousands of your fellow citizens around the world to call for Fouad's release:

1. PROTESTS IN FRONT OF MOROCCAN EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES:
Saturday March 1st: 14:00 your local time.

I've lost faith in Morocco and the entire Moroccan justice system

The verdict is out: A giant leap backwards for you Morocco, I hope you're happy with yourself!

Help Free FOUAD / Soutenez la libération de FOUAD

VERDICT: THREE YEARS SENTENCE and 10,000 Dirhamrs (~1,350 US Dollars) FINE

I am a second generation Moroccan-Dutch citizen, and I am a traditionalist.  I've always been proud of my Moroccan roots and I've always respected Morocco's constitutional monarchy as an integral part of our national unity and a great source of pride, and held it in high regard.  This is the first time in my life that I can honestly say, that sense of pride has been diminished.  I feel only sadness and loss of hope with regards to Morocco. 

Blog On Strike

This blog is on strike in solidarity with Fouad Mourtada and his family.

Free Fouad Mourtada!

For more info visit:

Help Free FOUAD / Soutenez la libération de FOUAD

The Register

Le Monde

Khaleej Times

The Tribune San Luis Obispo

CNN

Fox News

Star Tribune

Prince Moulay Rachíd on Facebook?

I'm not sure if this is the profile of the real Prince Moulay Rachid on Facebook or yet another impersonator, but in any case, his posted statement is exactly what everyone has been wishing for in defense of Fouad Mourtada.

Facebook | Prince Moulay Rachíd

Today

Prince is thinking Fouad Mourtada should not have been arrested for something as trivial as that which he was arrested for!

9:31pm

Prince joined the group Help Fouad Mourtada - Aidez Fouad Mourtada.

Fouad Mourtada, 26 years old IT engineer, was arrested and imprisoned in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday February 05 2008, for creating a fake profile on Facebook of Prince Moulay Rachid, brother King Mohamed VI of Morocco.  His trial is set for February 22.

Update:

It turns out it's just another faker....sighhh there it goes.

Prince Moulay Rachíd wrote
at 9:56pm

Hey Everyone! This is a post explaining the nature of this account! This is not the account of the TRUE Moulay Rachid. This is actually an other doppelganger account created in protest of the arrest of Fouad Mourtada over what many think is ridiculously overblown situation.
There are many mock accounts on facebook and other social networking sites, and not only is the extremity of this situation laughable, but also it could've been solved with diplomacy as well

Meanwhile, the Moroccan blogosphere has planned a rally for Fouad for tomorrow February 19.

Bloggers around the world are invited to make a post demanding the release of Fouad Mourtada and refrain from posting anything else for the entire day. 

Naturally this blog will be participating as well.

Free Fouad Mourtada!

Morocco please, I beg you to do the right thing. 

Free Fouad, he clearly meant no harm.

He may have broken a royal policy rule, which may call for reprimand, but for goodness sakes he doesn't deserve to be treated like a criminal.

Facebook | Help Fouad Mourtada - Aidez Fouad Mourtada

There are on Facebook 41 Nicolas Sarkozy, 10 prince William of England, Many Jackes Chirac (Former France president), Roger Federer, Georges Bush, Osama Benladen and so on.


Fouad Mourtada, 26 years old IT engineer, was arrested and imprisoned in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday February 05 2008, for creating a fake profile on Facebook of his royal highness Prince Moulay Rachid, brother of the king Mohamed VI of Morocco.

This is a premiere in the world; there has never been such prosecution anywhere in the world.

Fouad's initiative was a pure innocent act without any personal gain or harmful intent. Since Facebook Launch on 2004, a big number of young adults in many countries profile public figures and stars on Facebook for reasons of admiration or entertainment, without malicious intent.

The purpose of this group is to help Fouad. With your support, there will be a public opinion on this case. Please ask as many friends as possible to join.

We ask the Moroccan authorities to release FOUAD.

To sign our petition for freeing FOUAD, please visit There are on Facebook 41 Nicolas Sarkozy, 10 prince William of England, Many Jackes Chirac (Former France president), Roger Federer, Georges Bush, Osama Benladen and so on.


Fouad Mourtada, 26 years old IT engineer, was arrested and imprisoned in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday February 05 2008, for creating a fake profile on Facebook of his royal highness Prince Moulay Rachid, brother of the king Mohamed VI of Morocco.

This is a premiere in the world; there has never been such prosecution anywhere in the world.

Fouad's initiative was a pure innocent act without any personal gain or harmful intent. Since Facebook Launch on 2004, a big number of young adults in many countries profile public figures and stars on Facebook for reasons of admiration or entertainment, without malicious intent.

The purpose of this group is to help Fouad. With your support, there will be a public opinion on this case. Please ask as many friends as possible to join.

We ask the moroccan authorities to release FOUAD.

To sign our petition for freeing FOUAD, please visit http://www.helpfouad.com/