March 28, 2008 | Sex & Society

Moroccan paper sued for article on gay wedding

A Moroccan court fined "Al Massae," the country's leading newspaper, a record $815,900 after mistakenly stating that a judge had appeared at a gay wedding party in the Muslim country.

The article appeared last November offering details about the illegal gay wedding. The paper claimed a police source confirmed an unnamed judge had been present.

Homosexuality is very much frowned upon in Morocco. Gay sex is banned by law. 

Since the judge was not named in the report, all four judges in the area sued the paper for defamation. A court on Tuesday ordered Al Massae to pay 1.5 million dirhams to each of them.

"The government is hiding behind the court to close the newspaper. It is sending a message to the media that it will not tolerate press freedom," said the paper's editor Tawfik Bouechrine.

The four judges celebrated their victory by heading to the local bathhouse and taking turns in a makeshift sling. What? It could happen...