Spain Urges Equal Press Freedom Standards After Morocco Expels Spanish Media Crews

Spain's government said press freedom must be protected "at all times and in all parts of the world" after Moroccan authorities ordered teams from public broadcaster TVE and news agency EFE to leave Fnideq. The Spanish Embassy in Rabat said it was contacting Moroccan authorities to seek a solution. "Defending these principles requires applying the same standards to Moroccan and Spanish journalists alike, the forum said, warning against selective treatment based on a journalist's nationality or media organization.

It referred to restrictions imposed about a week earlier on a 2M crew covering the aftermath of mass migration crossings into Ceuta on July 30 and 31. Spanish authorities prevented the team from entering the city with professional filming equipment, forcing its journalists to use mobile phones to record interviews and conditions on the ground. "Images documenting moments of human suffering must not be removed from their factual context or used selectively to serve predetermined political narratives, the forum said.