Mr. Rachid Niny is editor in chief of one of Morocco's biggest Arabic language dailies, Al Massae. He has more than once been prosecuted for writing critical articles. On 28 April 2011 he was summoned to the office of the National Judicial Police Brigade in Casablanca and placed in custody. On 1 May, he was charged based on the penal code, rather than for a press offence.
On 17 May 2011 Alkarama addressed an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression and to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking them to enjoin the Moroccan authorities to stop their persecution and immediately free Mr. Niny.