In this message, HM the King expressed his heartfelt condolences and sincere compassion in this hard ordeal.
The death of late Mehdi Bennouna is a painful loss not only for his family, but also for his homeland Morocco, the sovereign underlined, lamenting the passing on of such pioneering activist of the national movement in the Kingdom.
The deceased devoted his life to the struggle for independence, emancipation and the recovery of national sovereignty and legitimacy, the monarch said.
Late Mehdi Bennouna selflessly endeavored to build the Morocco of unity, progress and democracy, under the reign of late kings Mohammed V and Hassan II, and set an example to follow in terms of loyalty and attachment to the nation's sacred values, HM the King said.
Late Benouna took up in 1958-1959 as advisor to the late king Mohammed V in charge of the press and public relations. In 1959, he launched Morocco's MAP news agency, which he headed till 1975.