Rabat - Morocco banned an edition of Spanish newspaper El Pais over an article that criticised the Moroccan monarchy as a "burden on public funds", the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) watchdog group said yesterday.
It said distributor Sochepresse did not sell the July 22nd edition of El Pais. Sochepresse and Communication Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
"This is the fourth time this year that a foreign newspaper has been banned (in Morocco)," the RSF secretary general, Mr Robert Menard, said.
"These newspapers all contain articles related to the Western Sahara or King Mohammed's personality, and have been censored because what they say does not please Moroccan authorities."
The banned edition of El Pais said King Mohammed and the government did not have "any plans to democratise the country and eradicate poverty, while Islamist fundamentalism continues its rise".