RTVE's Strong Rejection of Moroccan Authorities' Actions
RTVE, Spain's public broadcasting corporation, has expressed its "strongest rejection" following the forced expulsion of its news team from Castillejos (Fnideq) by Moroccan authorities. This team was deployed to cover the critical situation at the border near Ceuta, focusing on significant movements and the social climate surrounding the crossing point. According to RTVE, its journalists were engaged in rigorous and publicly significant reporting when they were abruptly ordered to leave the area.
The directive was delivered verbally, with Moroccan officials indicating that the team had to "follow instructions" but providing no formal explanation for this abrupt decision. José Pablo López, the president of RTVE, characterized this incident as a "serious obstacle to press freedom and the right to information." He emphasized that the commitment of RTVE’s professionals to honest and objective reporting on migration issues should not be curtailed by arbitrary decisions that prevent the true nature of events from being portrayed.
RTVE Demands Protections for Journalists
López has called for Moroccan authorities to provide "full guarantees and the utmost respect" to ensure that public broadcasters can carry out their work freely in any border area. He reiterated RTVE's pledge to uphold journalism that is committed solely to reporting facts with the highest level of accuracy. Furthermore, RTVE asserts that the free exercise of journalism is a fundamental democratic guarantee, enabling citizens to receive truthful information regarding events that directly impact Spanish and European territories.
RTVE claims that restricting journalists' access to key areas where significant events occur directly undermines international transparency. The corporation's management is currently maintaining diplomatic communications with affected channels and other media outlets to clarify the situation and ensure support for its displaced staff. This incident coincides with heightened security measures in Castillejos and surrounding areas, prompted by social media calls for new crossings into Ceuta.
As reported by elplural.com.
On the other hand, Moroccan media presents a different narrative regarding the incident. The digital newspaper _Hespress_ claims that the expulsion of RTVE's team should be understood within a "different context," alleging that the decision was a measure of "reciprocity." According to their sources, a team from the Moroccan channel 2M had not been permitted to enter Ceuta to cover news from the autonomous city. Thus, RTVE’s departure from Castillejos is purportedly a response to this prior restriction. However, the Moroccan outlet does not specify which authority imposed the ban on the 2M team or the exact circumstances surrounding this alleged veto. RTVE maintains that its journalists received no arguments related to the Moroccan channel when ordered to leave Fnideq, with the only verbal explanation being that they needed to "follow instructions."
