Journalist Censored in France for Saying ‘Moroccan Sahara’: Lahcen Haddad Denounces ‘Visceral anti-Moroccanism’

The withdrawal by BFMTV of its French-Moroccan journalist, Rachid M’Barki, for saying on air “Moroccan Sahara” shows the “censorship” practiced by the French news channel and reflects a “visceral anti-Moroccanism”, denounced the international expert in democracy, Lahcen Haddad. In a tweet, the MP and former minister also pointed to a “French-style McCarthyism”. “Censorship at @BFMTV, because he said “Moroccan Sahara”. #French-style McCarthyism! & Visceral anti-Moroccanism! If he had said ‘Sahrawi people’, a term preferred by #Algeria, it would pass! 2 weights 2 measures!”, said Haddad, in this tweet accompanied by a portrait of the star journalist of the French channel. The journalist Rachid M’Barki, historical host of the French TV channel BFMTV, which presents the night news, is suspended since mid-January, for having, according to the channel, ”broadcast content not validated by the hierarchy”. Rachid M’Barki, who has a career of more than 30 years in journalism, was thus sidelined by the channel, which has opened an internal investigation.