| Editor-in-chief | Driss Ksikes |
|---|---|
| Categories | News magazine |
| Publisher | Ahmed Benchemsi |
| Founder | Ahmed Benchemsi |
| First issue | September 2006 |
| Final issue | October 2010 |
| Country | Morocco |
| Based in | Casablanca |
| Language | Moroccan Arabic Berber |
Nichane (meaning "direct" inMoroccan Arabic andBerber:نيشان) (formerlyAljareeda Alokhra) was aMoroccan weeklyarabophone anddarijophone (in Moroccan Arabic) news magazine.
Nichane was published from September 2006[1] to October 2010.[2] Itseditor-in-chief wasDriss Ksikes.[1]
The magazine was a sister publication of theFrench-languageTel Quel magazine[2] and was based inCasablanca.[3][4]
On 20 December 2006, thenMoroccan Prime MinisterDriss Jettou issued a statement prohibiting thus the diffusion and distribution of Nichane.[5] This prohibition came as a result of the publishing of "provocative jokes" related to religion, and the late King of Morocco,Hassan II.[1]
Driss Ksikes and another journalist,Sanaa El Aji, were prosecuted for "defaming Islam and damaging morality" and sentenced to fines of 80,000 dirhams each and three-year suspended sentences. Additionally, the magazine was banned for two months.[6] Both journalists defended their article.[7]
In December 2009, police destroyed 100,000 copies of the magazine after it printed an unauthorized opinion poll of Moroccan King Mohammed VI.[8]
In October 2010, publisher Ahmed Benchemsi announced the closure of the magazine, citing an advertiser boycott by royally-owned ONA/SNI holding group.[3][9]