So they can give him a kicking and still lock him up for 5 years?

If he did it for whatver reason it was easy to resolve and I think a good kicking would send him a fairly good message to not do it again.

I suppose the real issue is if people *should* be allowed to impersonate somebody else, in real life or online.

I don't think so and slamming him in prision sounds fair enough. Torturing him sounds a but harsh though.

I guess it's a cultural thing.

When you get arrested there you get a kicking as well...

Harsh, but if that's their way...

If i ever found anyone had created a myspace or facebook account for me without my prior knowledge or consent they would get a good kicking....maybe not blindfolded, swapping cars and interrogated - but they would certainly know what its like to get beaten with a 5 1/4 floppy drive with nails through it.......

anon cow is still doing with 5 1/4 floppy drives?!?!

What I really want to know is, when Uncle Sam going to shove democracy down their throats?

This is unacceptable!

using them for violent activities perhaps?

To think of all the money spent by the CIA on training the Moroccon secret police in the proper use of waterboarding, nail pulling, dog collaring, cigarette burning, etc and all these guys could come up with was a bit of kicking and slapping?

...the prince has no friends http://www.facebook.com/friends/?id=1090263188

"When you get arrested there you get a kicking as well..."

Certainly a more interesting way of collecting DNA, keeps the cops occupied, and is more exciting than just tasering the guy.

"Lets have some fun!"

Bzzzzt

"Thats that then, shame really I thought he'd put up more of a fight"

This is not a question of democracy. This is a question of whether this person impersonated someone else. It is a crime in most countries to impersonate people in positions of authority (police, fire, etc) let alone those as part of either the administration of the country or the monarchy of it.

How do you think the British government would react if the same thing happened with someone from the Royal family?

How do you think the US government would react if the same thing happend with some child of the president, or similar?

I'm sure whomever was involved would get some severe punishment.

"...the prince has no friends"

Hah! But I poked him over and over and over! Take that you Prince! You too shall suffer!

It is just my thinking maybe because I live in the US and my husband is from Morocco, but this is horrible for anyone in any country to be involved in.

Here in america you can go on face book or myspace and see people who have created their "PAGE" as a celebrity / government person / musical star.

We here in the US seem to get a freedom of choosing our personality pass that Morocco is not giving out to civilians. If this young man did nothing against the Kindom of Morocco or the Prince then why is he being condemed and brutalized >?> just my opinion. Most here in the US agree that some "stars" are flattered when they are "used" on myspace and facebook for no personal gain or insult. This young man did not gain anything from using the Prince's idenity or did he do anything against the Kingdom of Morocco so why be punished and humiliated in a public place. This should of remained at the Kings' discression, privately, and agreeing with a local Moroccan paper, he was not shown the dignity of Innocent till proven guilty, his presummed guilt was splashed across all the papers in Morocco like celebrity dirt is in the US.

I agree with the local customs that he should of had more "brains" when it came to using the idenity of the Prince, that is shameful and disrespect to the Kingdom and thier laws BUT,,, and I say this with all respect to Morocco.. He is 26, he is considered very intelligent, yet he wanted to show his love of Morocco and respect for the Prince, that doesn't mean I excuse his actions, or the actions of the police involved: I just don't believe with out proof of maliace intent that this man should be beaten and jailed for a "mistake in judgement". He has shown remorse and overly appologized to all involved including his own family for the disgrace put upon them. I don't agree with the way this was handled or is continuing to be handled. I pray that for this young man they find him to have recieved

I was continuing to say that ... They find him to have recieved enough punishment and humlilation and find it to be just a "mistake in judgement."

I think you may have missed the "joke alert" icon back there champ...

Turn on your humour sensors and try again...

...is probably a fair treatment for anyone who sets up a Facebook account.

Doh!

I don't usually consider the images to be relevant...

Morocco is an African nation and at heart, an old fashioned one but at the same time is trying to modernise itself. Sure, if you break the law you get a bit of a kicking but, well, that's just standard procedure for an African country.

The king, all in all, is a young and progressive king, certainly more so than some of his predecessors, and is, on the whole, doing a good job of developing the country's infrastructure, economy and tourism industry whilst combating terrorism from within and without. His people love him too, you go to any cafe/restaurant/shop/ wooden shack with a coca cola sign and a bunch of guys hunched down sipping tea inside and you'll see his picture proudly hanging on the wall. I'm sure if you asked them, many if not most Moroccans would agree with what happened, because there are three things that Morocco holds sacred; their king, their country and their god.

I'm not sure if it's so much about monarchy Vs democracy either. Turkey's a democracy and yet if you say a bad word about Ataturk you're also running the risk of a serious beatdown and/or being torn apart by an angry mob.