Morocco

The country of Morocco is in the northwest corner of Africa, touching both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco was subjected to colonialism from 1912 to 1956, with the country being divided into a French and a Spanish zone. 99 percent of the people are Muslims.

Morocco is trying to join the European Union, but there appears to be little interest for this within Europe. The U.S. has given the country the status of "non-NATO ally" for its support of the U.S. In the 2007 parliamentary elections, the conservative Istiqlal party, a member of the ruling coalition, won the most votes.

Media
The BBC says of the country's media:

"Morocco's private press is free to cover many previously-taboo issues, including social problems."

But this freedom is not unbounded. Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, while noting "positive changes", has called for an overhaul of press laws. US-based Human Rights Watch says the press code "provides an arsenal of repressive tools".

statistics 1950-1975

 * US trained military personnel: 2,209
 * US military aid: $138,700,000
 * This country practiced torture on an administrative basis during this period

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Moroccan Association for Human Rights