Morocco tries journalists over royal cartoon

AIN SEBAA, Morocco (Reuters) - The editor of a Moroccan daily newspaper and its caricaturist went on trial on Monday in what journalists say is part of an unprecedented government crackdown against the press.

The court case, in the city of Ain Sebaa, near Casablanca, is the third trial of reporters in less than 15 days.

"We are here as part of the ongoing massacre of press freedom," said Taoufik Bouachrine, editor of Akhbar al Youm, Morocco's second largest Arabic language daily, shortly before he and caricaturist Khalid Gueddar appeared in court.

Last month the paper printed a front page cartoon of King Mohammed's cousin Prince Moulay Ismail celebrating his wedding to a German woman.

The government said the cartoon was an attack on the royal family and contained a Star of David. "The use of the Star of David reflects a leaning towards blatant anti-Semitism," it said.

Both Bouachrine and Gueddar dismissed the accusations.

"We wanted to express our affection to the prince for his marriage in his cartoon. I do not know from where they get these Star of David and anti-Semitism things," Gueddar said.

Bouachrine said he was especially concerned that the authorities shut down the paper's headquarters without any court decision.

"It is the first time the authorities closed the offices of a newspaper since the 1960s. That worries us all as the government wants to send a strong message that the authorities can do what they want without any respect to the law," he added.