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Moroccan journalists feel the heat over king’s family

The editor of a Moroccan newspaper and its cartoonist are in court after the paper printed a caricature of King Mohammed's cousin celebrating his marriage to a German woman. The government says the cartoon is an attack on the royal family and contained a Star of David, which it implied was blatant anti-Semitism. And while the humour may be difficult to grasp, local journalists say the case is part of a government crackdown against the press - the third trial of news media in less than 15 days. The hacks are especially concerned that government shut down the paper's headquarters without a court order, as this is the first time authorities have closed down a newspaper since the 1960s. The accused claim they just wanted to express affection for the prince, and said they did not know where the accusations over the Star of David came from.

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