The New York-based group said two of the most prominent cases are those of Omar Radi and Soulaimane Raissouni, both sentenced this year on sexual abuse charges to at least five years in jail.

Another journalist, Taoufik Bouachrine, was jailed in 2018 for 12 years, accused of rape and people-trafficking.

All three have been critical of the authorities, and have denied the charges against them.

Morocco has insisted that its justice system is independent and that the cases had "nothing to do" with the journalists' work.