Moroccan authorities have forbidden the local branch of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International from holding a ceremony to honour two rights activists, one of its directors said Tuesday. Sion Assidon, a member of the board at Transparency-Morocco (TM), told selfnews that police had informed the group Monday that 'the handing over of the awards for integrity, which was to take place in our local office, was forbidden.' The ceremony was due to honour two activists -- rights advocate and whistleblower Chahib Khayari and lawyer Abderrahim Berrada. Khayari was sentenced to three years in prison in June 2009 for making corruption allegations against civil servants, which were held to be a denigration of state institutions. A source with local authorities in Rabat told selfnews that the group should have informed officials of the meeting as it would have been public. 'TM was required to make a declaration 48 hours before the meeting, which was a public meeting,' the source said. Assidon insisted however that the ceremony had been a 'private meeting, in a private place. There was therefore no requirement for any advance permission. Morocco is living through a dangerous regression.' 