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Syrian Blogger and Freedom of Speech advocate Razan Ghazzawi was released on Saturday along with her female colleagues. The news came via Razan's sister, who tweeted earlier this evening:

@NadineGhazzawi: Sister is home :) but she can't leave the country anymore…they won't allow her.

Free Razan poster used by supporters to call for her released and that of her colleagues

At the time these lines are being written, Razan's male colleagues remain in prison, according to Free Razan page on Facebook:

Razan and all the females from the SCM are FREE , Razan is FREE !

Razan was arrested earlier this week along with 13 of her colleagues during a raid on the offices of the Syrian Center for Freedom of Expression in Damascus.

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/2012.

Written by Hisham Almiraat · Translated by Hisham Almiraat · View original post [en] · comments (3)
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UPDATE: Razan Ghazzawi was released on Saturday along with her female colleagues. At the time of writing these lines Razan's male colleagues were still in custody.

Syrian security forces arrested Syrian blogger and freedom of speech advocate Razan Ghazzawi on Thursday 16 February, 2012, during a raid on the offices of the Syrian Center for Freedom of Expression in Damascus where the activist works. Ghazzawi was arrested along with 13 of her colleagues, including the Head of the Center, Mazen Darwish.

This is the second time Razan Ghazzawi is arrested by the Syrian authorities. She was first detained in December 2011 at the Syrian-Jordanian border while on her way to attend a conference on freedom of expression online. Her arrest sparked an online outcry and an international campaign called for her immediate release. Razan was eventually released after spending 15 days in jail.

One of the Free Razan posters shared by supporters after Razan Ghazzawi was arrested in December last year

Ghazzawi is a US-born Syrian blogger who has contributed to Global Voices Online and Global Voices Advocacy. She is one of the few courageous bloggers in Syria who writes under her real name, even after her first arrest.

The Syrian blog Nidalat [ar] was one of the first outlets to break the news. It posted the following statement:

The news caused disbelief among netizens who were very quick to react. Nadine Ghazzawi, Razan's sister, tweets:

@NadineGhazzawi: They arrested my sister Razan Ghazzawi again! She got arrested at work in the center of Damascus today evening

Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin laments:

@ASE: Yet another sad day for #Syria and #FreeSpeech

BSyria remembers his last conversation with Razan:

@BSyria: I chatted with Razan yesterday. I asked her: Are u being harassed? She said, “No, I told u I'm not that important.” #FreeRazan #syria

For more reactions on Ghazzawi's arrest, please check the hashtag #FreeRazan on Twitter. A Facebook page calling for her release is also up.

This post also appears in Global Voices Advocacy.

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12.

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On Monday 13 February, 2012, a court in the Moroccan city of Taza sentenced 24 year-old student Abdelsamad Haydour to three years in jail and a fine of USD 1,200 for criticizing the king of Morocco in a video [ar] posted on YouTube. According to the official state news agency [fr], Mr. Haydour is accused of “attacking the sacred values of the nation.”

According to one Moroccan news website Mr. Haydour had no legal assistance during the hearing and the Court did not appoint a lawyer to defend the accused in accordance with the Moroccan law. Under Moroccan law the king is considered “inviolable.” But the Moroccan constitution also guarantees (Article 25) “freedom of thought, opinion and expression in all its forms.”

The incriminating four-minute clip was posted in early January, during a week of social unrest and violent clashes between demonstrators and anti-riot police in the unemployement-stricken city of Taza. In the video, Abdelsamad Haydour is seen talking to a group of people in the street, harshly criticizing the king and his entourage (video posted by zawali66):

The ruling comes less than a week after an 18-year-old appeared before a court in the capital Rabat accused of committing a crime of lèse-majesté by posting pictures and videos on Facebook mocking King Mohammed VI.

The news of the sentence against Mr. Haydour provoked some strong reactions on social networks.

Rasta Basta tweets:

@Basta: just a thought: in #Morocco defaming God does not lead to prison, defaming the king does, for 3 yrs; any conclusions? #HR #ArabSpring

Samia Errazzouki tweets:

@Charquaouia: I've lost count of the people jailed in Morocco since the new constitution and elections for merely expressing themselves with words.

Burrito tweets:

@Burrito_SB: How many people should get arrested for simply expressing their opinion do we need to realize that nothing has changed in #morocco #maroc

Despite sustained growth, Morocco still suffers from high unemployment, especially prevalent among the youngest with more than a quarter of graduates unable to find a job.

Many Moroccan cities witness daily demonstrations over unemployment often led by university graduates who wish to integrate the public sector. Last month four of these protesters set themselves on fire in the capital Rabat. One of them lost his life.

But it is in the city of Taza where the social tension reached its peak. The city witnessed several weeks of violent clashes between demonstrators and anti-riot police, culminating on February 1st when the police proceeded to a house-to-house search, arresting several suspected rioters.

On Tuesday, 17 individuals from Taza were sentenced to up to eight months in jail for “vandalism and destruction of public property,” the local media reported.

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests 2011.

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This isn't the first time a Moroccan Internet user has faced such charges. In 2008, Fouad Mourtada, a young engineer, was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating the king’s brother on Facebook. An international outcry and a campaign of support forced the authorities to release Mr Mourtada a month after his arrest.

Walid Bahomane's arrest is the first since a constitutional reform last summer (theoretically) revoked the “sacred” character of the monarch. The king is still, however, the focus of a great deal of devotion in the country.

A copy of the police report filed against Mr Bahomane emerged on the Internet, revealing a first: according to the document, items seized by the police are “two Facebook pages (sic) containing phrases and images insulting the sacred values, and an IBM computer.​​”

Copy of the police report filed against Mr. Walid Bahomane as posted on Facebook.

Despite calls for his release the judge decided to send Walid to a juvenile detention facility near the capital pending his trial. A group of netizens have reacted to the arrest of Mr Bahomane by creating a support group on Facebook called “Mohammed VI, my freedom is more sacred than you!”, where members are invited to publish and share cartoons of the king.

Cartoon representing King Mohammed VI posted on Facebook

The group's preamble reads [ar]:

هذه مجموعة تضامنية مع الشاب وليد بحمان، 18 سنة، معتقل بسجن الأحداث بسلا بتهمة إهانة قداسة محمد السادس على الفيسبوك. فلنثبت لمحمد السادس أن حريتنا أقدس منه

Zineb El Ghazoui, a co-creator of the group, writes on her blog [fr]:

[cette arrestation bat] en brèche la propagande de l'Etat marocain autour du changement et des prétendues avancées démocratiques.

On Twitter, some are timidly following suit. Musique Arabe tweets [fr]:

@MusiqueArabe Opération soutien à Walid Bahomane - publions tous sur nos profils la caricature de notre choix.

Despite the recent constitutional reforms in Morocco the regime does not seem prepared to tolerate any violation of its red lines. In July 2011, a few days after the adoption of the new constitution, a French newspaper, Le Courrier International, was censored [fr] in Morocco because it contained an irreverent caricature of the king.

The independent press has often suffered the wrath of the regime when it dared tackle the sensitive subject of the monarchy. So much so that the Internet seems today the last frontier where most Moroccans can still exercise their right to free expression.

Something Moroccan netizens seem to be fully aware of, inspired by the Arab spring, they seem determined to close ranks and show solidarity with Mr Bahomane.

As a result, exercising censorship will be even more difficult for the regime.

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Mouad Belghouat aka “Al Haked” (The Indignant), a 24-year-old Moroccan rap artist and outspoken critic of Morocco's monarchy, was released on Thursday from prison, where he had been held since last September.

Mouad was officially charged with assaulting a pro-regime protester but his supporters claim the charges were trumped up in an attempt to silence growing discontent. His lawyers repeated bail requests were rejected by the judge, who adjourned the trial six times.

The rapper is one of the most recognizable figures of the leaderless pro-democracy February 20 Movement, the local extension of the so-called Arab spring.

In reaction to the movement's regular protests, King Mohammed VI introduced a series of constitutional amendments in July prompting early legislative elections in November which put the Islamist PJD party at the helm of the government. But the youth-based movement vowed to continue its protests, denouncing high-profile corruption, political arrests and a monarchy that still enjoys extensive executive powers.

The announcement of Mouad's release on Thursday spread like fire on Facebook and Twitter. Several Al Haked supporters rushed to the Okacha prison in Casablanca to welcome him. A defiant Mouad walked out of prison shouting “long live the people”.

Larbi, who campaigned for the release of Mouad, shares the first pictures of the freed rapper:

Picture by Omar Radi, shared on Twitter by @Larbi_org

Shortly after his release, the rapper returned to the stage. In an improvised concert in his neighborhood, he performed in tune with a jubilant crowd of supporters (video posted by direlibghiti):

Omar Radi describes the scene [fr]:

Les gamins du quartier chantent par choeur avec #Freehaked. Concert improvisé, sono pourrie, mais tout le monde est joyeux.

Aida Alami was also there. She tweets:

Mouad on the stage… Big celebration in mouad's neighborhood to celebrate his new freedom

Hasna Ankal thinks activists should capitalize on their “success” and call on the release of more “political prisoners.” She shares this poster on Twitter:

Al Haked is Free, Now Free Everyone - Posted by Hasna Ankal

When on Thursday, the judge decided to release Mouad, the efforts led by activists seemed to have finally paid off. For months they ran a consistent campaign both online, through their website, Facebook page and Twitter accounts, and offline, organizing press conferences and sit-ins, rallying more supporters and prominent public figures around their cause.

But Thursday's court ruling remains a “bittersweet victory” for activists like Maria Karim, who was at the forefront of the Free Haked campaign. The judge in fact pronounced [fr] the rapper guilty of assault on a royalist supporter, but decided to release him because he served his sentence of four months.

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests.

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Since Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in the small city of Sidi Bouzid on December 2010, a wave of unprecedented popular protests is sweeping the Arab world. The region has seen unprecedented events that no one could ever imagine witnessing in a lifetime.

Three Arab dictators have been toppled, some others forced to engage in reforms, while in other places the confrontation is proving to be painful and bloody.

In any case, 2011 is likely to remain engraved in the history of the Arab world as the year when people started raising against their oppressive regimes.

As we bid farewell to 2011 and look ahead to 2012, we asked our authors to share with you pictures that in their eyes have marked the past year in their respective countries. The following selection represents their choices.

Tunisia

Photo by Talel Nacer, used with permission

On January, 14, 2011 thousands of protesters gathered near the Interior Ministry building in Tunis calling for the fall of the regime of dictator Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali. Later on the same day, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

Afef Abroughi

Syria

Author unkown

A powerful message from “the occupied city of Kafar Nabel”, Syria.

Leila Nachawati

Lebanon

Photo by Krikorian. Used with permission

Even though Lebanon has not witnessed a revolution in 2011, the Land of the Cedars was highly affected by the developpements and turmoil in the area. But for Lebanese it's the high cost of living that is haunting them the most. Following each wage increase by the government and even before the plan is approved by parliament, prices soar tremendously.

Thalia Rahme

Palestine

Photo by Jillian C. York, used under a CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Palestine: “Marching United Towards Freedom”

Jillian C. York

Yemen

Copyright Shohdi Al-Sofi, used with permission

The peaceful massive marches of Yemen which never stopped throughout the year are a testimony of Yemenis' steadfast and resilience and prove ultimately, like the billboard reads, that “victory is to the people”.

Noon Arabia

Bahrain

Picture posted on Twitter by @almakna

The above photograph, shared by @almakna on Twitter, shows the number of areas reportedly tear gassed by the Bahrain authorities in one night. On that particular day, I myself choked on the tear gas, spending the night and the following day sick and closely followed tweets and complaints by Twitter users from across the country.

Amira Al Hussaini

Picture posted on Twitter by @SanabisVoice

This photograph, from the Sanabis Voice, shows empty teargas canisters, collected from a small area, in one day. Such photographs are found in abundance online, shared by netizens on social networking sites, and tell a story that has been recurring for 11 months - a story not much of the world cares about.

Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt

Picture by rouelshimi, used under CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

January 25, the first wave of protesters go to Tahrir square. It's the dawn of the revolution.

Tarek Amr

Morocco

Copyright Amine Hachimoto. Used with permission.

The little girl looking up at this Moroccan Superman pausing in front of the parliament seems to be wondering if he can fly. Maybe he's an ultra-nationalist trying to make a point? Or maybe he's a supporter of the pro-reforms group February 20? It doesn't really matter. Because behind this amazing photo by Amine Hachimoto lies a new reality in Morocco: 2011 is the year when the street has become the theater of nonviolent political expression. Something that is likely to continue in the years to come.

Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage:

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Some videos in this post contain pictures that are graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.

In January this year, following the success of the Tunisian revolution, a group of Moroccan activists launched a debate on Facebook around the question of change in Morocco. They created a group called “Freedom and Democracy Now.” A couple of days later, the group issued its first “founding” statement [ar]. It was directed at the King.

The king of Morocco Mohammed VI enjoys large constitutional prerogatives that make him an absolute monarch who traditionally reigns and rules. In a country where the head of state is considered sacred, the activists' move was unprecedented. Their message was seen as bold and risky at the same time. They ran the risk of a confrontation with the establishment but they also conveyed a message many Moroccans wanted the king to hear: make “the necessary changes in the political system to allow Moroccans to rule themselves by themselves”; “break with the past for real and irrevocably.”

Sunday, February 20, was chosen for a nationwide, non-violent demonstration to be held in all Moroccan cities. The date will mark the start of the pro-democracy movement in Morocco and thereafter so its name.

Mainstream media, mostly owned or under the influence of the government, ignored the appeal. Only a handful of independent print and online newspapers [ar] carried the message. Activists had to turn to the internet, making full use of a powerful social media tool to get their messages across, though video.

While videos were used by their opponents to discredit the movement, activists had the nerve to reveal their identities, face the camera and tell their stories themselves. They filmed protests, performed pro-change songs, live-streamed demonstrations, parodied their detractors and rallied fellow citizens to their cause.

Following is a selection of the 20 most popular and viral videos that marked the course of the February 20 Movement over the past 10 months.

First call

The first video posted by “Freedom and Democracy Now” shows Oussama Lakhlifi, one of its founders, outlining the main demands of the group [ar] (video posted by Lakomechannel):

“I am a Moroccan and I will join the protest”

A fierce online debate ensued opposing those for and against the planned demonstration. Some officials embarked on a campaign to discredit the youth-based movement while some other public figures supported it openly.

A week before the beginning of the protests, activists released a well produced video to explain why they were taking to the streets. The film immediately went viral and is believed to have played a significant role in rallying a large number of supporters around the movement [English subtitles] (video posted by Mouvement20fevrier, directed by Montasser Drissi):

Montasser Drissi's film created a meme that was copied by other activists across the country and beyond (Paris, Montreal, etc.).

“Who we are and what we want”

In an attempt to put an end to rumors [ar] and accusations activists released an “explanatory” video about the movement two days before the start of the protests [English subtitles] (video posted by Mouvement 20 Fevrier, directed by Montasser Drissi):

February 20

On the day of the protest, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched across the country. With the exception of a few instances of vandalism in Marrakesh, the protest ran peacefully, contradicting claims that the demonstration would degenerate into chaos. The movement appeared to have achieved its first victory. Veteran blogger Larbi wrote [fr]:

Le mouvement du 20 février a donné beaucoup de gages aux autorités marocaines. Charge au pouvoir marocain de ne pas être sourd et aveugle, de se montrer responsable et de répondre aux aspirations légitimes des manifestants. A chacun de prendre ses responsabilités. Et aujourd’hui le sens de responsabilité se place du côté des manifestants pas du côté du pouvoir marocain.

The king's speech

On March 9, the king appeared to respond for the first time to the protesters when he gave a speech announcing constitutional reform and pledging to relinquish some of his prerogatives to elected representatives.

For activists, the announced reforms fell short of what they had expected. They released a new video [ar] announcing a “week of action and community service to raise awareness about public service shortcomings.” The week would start with a blood donation campaign and end with a nationwide demonstration (video posted by Moroccans For Change):

A new clip [ar] was posted on the internet calling for a mass protest on March 20 (video posted by Mouvement 20 Fevrier, directed by Montasser Drissi)

March 20 saw a record number of protesters take to the streets and rally the movement in virtually every city and town across the country.

The March of “Loyalty”

In April, an obscure pro-regime group announced it was conducting its own rally. The group called for a March of “Loyalty to the king.”

The following video [ar], directed by Ghassan El Hakim, was awarded the Best Drama Award at the Paris-based Yallah Film Festival, which celebrates short films dedicated to the Arab revolutions. The actors play the roles of a supporter and an opponent of the “March of Loyalty.” The two eventually agree they will not participate after all (video posted by Che Ghassan, directed by Ghassan El Hakim):

The Makhzen

Many of the slogans raised during the protests targeted the corrupt elite in Morocco, or what Moroccans like to call the Makhzen. In the following video posted by Mamfakinch , a little Einstein explains the notion of the Makhzen in more details:

Hoba Hoba Spirit

The Moroccan pop music band Hoba Hoba Spirit then released a song in support of the February 20 movement. The song revisited the Tunisian national anthem: “When the people will to live, Destiny must surely respond. Oppression shall then vanish. Fetters are certain to break” (video clip posted by Mamfakinch):

Bloody May

On May 15, pro-democracy activists decided to march to an alleged secret detention center [fr], dubbed Guantémara and located in the outskirts of the capital Rabat. Protesters were met with a heavy-handed police response [fr].

A week later, police violently disrupted protests beating and chasing demonstrators across the streets of Rabat and other major cities. Hilana Rizky is a member of the February 20 movement. She posted the following testimony on YouTube where she describes what happened on May 22 (video posted by Moroccans For Change):

May was marked by a change in the attitude of the authorities vis-à-vis the protesters. Citizen media platforms like Mamfakinch.com played a significant role in curating and disseminating material that documented police brutality. Parody as well played a role in documenting that violence as shown in the following clip [ar], posted by Zorro of Morocco:

Songs of the revolution

Art has been a frequent resort for activists who used it to denounce police repression. In the following video [ar] rappers Mouad “L7a9ed” and Jihane sing “Mellit!” (I'm fed up!) (Video posted by l7a9d):

Moad “L7a9ed” was arrested on September 9, 2011, on charges of assault. Many believe his detention is politically motivated, and has more to do with the lyrics of his songs which openly criticize the regime. A campaign was launched calling for Mouad's immediate release. More information can be found at L7a9ed.com).

“The Ax Man”

Towards the end of May, the following video [ar] quickly became an internet sensation. It shows an anonymous ultra-nationalist threatening February 20 activists with an ax, calling them traitors (video posted by insansarih):

Change? What change?

On June 17, the king gave a second speech outlining the constitutional reform. State TV and mainstream media outlets were mobilized to convey pro-reform views. Little airtime was dedicated to opponents of the proposed amendments who had to rely on the internet to get their point across.

The following video parodies the kind of blind and uniformed enthusiasm for the reform that was often portrayed by state TV (video posted by nordahhan):

For the February 20 movement the proposed reforms fell short of their expectations. They released a new video calling for the boycott of the referendum (video posted by Mouvement 20 Fevrier, directed by Montasser Drissi):

Other videos were released to call for the boycott of the referendum including this short film [ar] directed by young filmmaker Nadir Bouhmouch:

On the day of the vote, activists armed with their cameras and cell phones spotted irregularities and posted pictures and videos on the internet. The blog 24-Mamfakinch published the following video that quickly spread across online outlets. It shows unidentified individuals, tampering with a ballot box well after the closure of the polling station and before any votes were even counted (Video posted by Referendum Maroc):

Faux reform

The new Constitution was overwhelmingly adopted but activists seemed undeterred. They released a new video in early September, calling for a nationwide protest to denounce what they consider as a faux-reform and a Constitution that would leave the monarch with a veto power over elected representatives (video posted by Movement20Fev, directed by Montasser Drissi):

Mamfakinch!

In October, prominent Arab bloggers and activists gathered in Tunis. They had this message for their Moroccan counterparts: Mamfakinch! (We won't give up!) (video produced and directed by Mamfakinch.com):

“My Makhzen and Me”

Nadir Bouhmouch is a young Moroccan filmmaker based in California. He has been following Februrary 20 young activists throughout the summer and is about to release a new film called “My Makhzen and Me!”, a film that “investigates what gave birth to the revolt and the obstacles it encounters on its struggle for freedom, democracy, human rights and an end to corruption and poverty.” Here is the trailer:

Next year, inchallah

The February 20 movement has been a driving force for change in Morocco throughout 2011. As in other Arab countries, it has used social media and the internet extensively to coordinate the efforts of its members and carry out its message. But despite the reforms conducted by the regime (a new Constitution in July, a newly elected parliament in November and a coalition government led by the Islamist PJD party that should be announced this week), the king remains the absolute ruler, with his entourage holding tremendous political and economic powers.

What role will the February 20 movement be able to play next year as revolutionary fatigue begins to gain ground? Will it be able to be creative enough to keep pace?

Zineb Belmkeddem, one of the most recognizable faces of the February 20 movement, vows to continue the struggle. She sings “long live the people!” (video posted by MoroccanYouth):

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests 2011.

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The Mauritanian newspaper El Mohit [ar] explains that President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is overseeing preparations for the meeting and has appointed senior officials to ensure the organisation of the event.

President Ould Abdel Aziz is a high-ranking military officer, who came to power in August 2008 following a coup that toppled then-President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.

February 25 Movement Rally - Picture by Dedda Ould Cheikh Brahim

The announcement of the meeting comes less then two months after local independent bloggers and members of the pro-democracy February 25 Movement were forced to cancel a similar gathering in Zouerat, northern Mauritania. The website, Mauri-Culture, reports [ar] that bloggers had experienced administrative “harassment” at the hands of the authorities and were forced to postpone their meeting to “avoid a confrontation with the regime.”

On Tuesday, Mauritanian bloggers reacted to the announcement of the upcoming government-sponsored conference by publishing an open letter to fellow Arab netizens and activists asking them not to attend.

Ahmed Ould Jedou is among many other Mauritanian bloggers who published [ar] the open letter. Following is the translation of excerpts of the document:

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Hindi Zahra is a young Moroccan singer. A talented self-taught multi-instrumentalist, the artist embraced success soon after the release of her debut album, Handmade, in 2009. Hailed by the critics as “the worthy successor to Billie Holiday”, she received prestigious prizes, the last of which in February 2011, when she won the Victoires de la Musique award for the best world music album.

Her success has led her on tour across the globe. Her sultry and intimate jazz style, often sung in English, mixing blues songs with Moroccan Berber melodies, has somehow managed to cross cultural barriers, attracting even larger audiences.

At least this was the case until last October, when it was revealed that the singer was scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv, Israel, on November 12, 2011.

A Moroccan woman in Tel Aviv

The Palestinian Campaign for Cultural and Academic Boycott of Israel quickly published an open letter [fr] to the singer calling for the cancellation of her concert in Israel.

“We are surprised that you have agreed to provide entertainment to a society that practices occupation, racial discrimination, and ethnic cleansing […] while our refugees - the majority of our people! - Continue to be deprived from their inalienable right to return to their homes,” the letter reads.

To the dismay of the boycott campaigners, the concert was maintained as scheduled.

In an interview [fr] with the Moroccan press, Omar Barghouti, one of the founders of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (or BDS) campaign, describes his disappointment at the decision of the artist to go on with her representation in Israel:

We were disappointed by [Hindi Zahra's] behavior. In her reply to us, there was a lot of hate. An Amazigh artist also tried to convince her, but she reacted very badly.

Chickens come home to roost

On Wednesday, December 14, the musical tour finally brought Hindi Zahra back home in Morocco for a concert in Casablanca, the country's most affluent and populous city.

On the Internet the controversy broke out when a group of activists, believed to be linked to the Moroccan chapter of the BDS Movement, published a call on Facebook asking people to join a sit-in outside the concert venue.

For some reason, the call was removed from Facebook a few hours later.

Blogger Ghali Bensouda published a screenshot (see bellow) of the call:

Screenshot of the sit-in call as published by Ghali Bensouda

[…] Will organize a protest […] against normalization with Israel and as a reminder that Moroccan people reject any form of normalization with the Zionists […]

Among netizens the reactions were split between those who supported the protesters, and those who, like Ghali Bensouda, saw in the protest the instrumentalisation by radical political factions of the youth-based February 20 movement, who has been leading the pro-democracy protests in the country for the last 10 odd months. He writes [fr]:

Je trouve cette décision [d'organiser un sit-in] STUPIDE ET RIDICULE.
D’abord, la chanteuse est libre de se produire là où elle veut et c’est son choix.
Deuxièmement, se produire en Israël ne veut pas dire cautionner la politique de ce pays à l’égard de la Palestine. […]
Troisièmement, cela montre clairement la main mise de certaines organisations sur le 20 février qui font de la question anti-sioniste un fond de commerce.

Ethel (@_nethels_) attended the concert and she posted pictures of the performance.

Hindi Zahra performing in Casablanca - picture poster on Yfrog by @_nethels_

In the meantime, outside of the concert venue, a number of protesters gathered chanting slogans like “Boycott Israel,” or “I don't recognize Israel,” as shown in the following video posted on YouTube by Kifachinfo:

More reactions followed on social networks. Hamza (@Hamsek) was unequivocal (fr):

[Hindi Zahra] est morte à Tel Aviv aux yeux de pas mal de monde…

Blogger Yassir deplores the involvement of the February 20 movement. He writes [ar]:

Journalist Fahd Yata, a notorious critic of February 20, has this to say [fr] about the protesters:

Les pseudo révolutionnaires du FEB 20, qui n'ont plus rien à faire depuis le 25 novembre [eléctions législatives], appellent au boycott d'Hindi Zahra. Des Fascistes!

Veteran human rights advocate, Samira Kinani, writes the following public note on Facebook in defense of the protesters [fr]:

des citoyenNes ont décidé de répondre présentsà un appel de bds
cette action qui sillonne l univers contre un régime raciste
un régime d apartheid un état voyou un état criminel..
des actions pacifiques visant à faire entendre une autre voix que celle des médias dominants
et c le tollé et ça utilise tout “femme” “amazigh” tout est bon pour essayer de discréditer une action somme tout symbolique

***

The Palestinian issue has always been a unifying cause in Morocco and, arguably, still ranks high among the main issues Moroccans do care about. In 2009, Moroccans took to the streets in solidarity with the Palestinian people, following the Israeli deadly raid on the Gaza Strip. They marched in their millions, filling the streets of the capital Rabat. But the idea of a ​​boycott, although attractive to certain activists, may seem nebulous to some and is certainly divisive among netizens.

Whether you are for or against the boycott, says twitterati Samia, you should respect the right of artists to perform freely, and protesters to demonstrate non-violently. She tweets:

When Hindi Zahra performed in Israel, it was her right. When #feb20 [February 20 movement] protests against her, it's their right too. Now move on with your lives.
The cultural boycott of Israel has been going on for years. #feb20 is not doing anything controversial.

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests 2011.

Written by Hisham Almiraat · comments (1)
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Moroccans took to the polls on Friday 25 November, 2011, to elect a new parliament. It is the first election since a constitutional referendum in July approved a series of amendments introduced by King Mohammed VI.

The youth-based pro-democracy movement, known as February 20, have criticized the new constitution for leaving the King with a strong veto power over the government, and have called for the boycott of the elections.

Voter turnout

According to the Moroccan Interior Ministry, 45% of registered voters cast their votes on Friday - a low turnout - and the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) recorded a clear victory.

Based on official data, Reda Lemniaï (@Redalinho) posts a comparative graph visualizing voter turnout in the Moroccan election, as opposed to Tunisia and Spain where legislative polls were conducted earlier this month. He tweets [fr]:

#Infographie : Résultats des #Intikhabates au #Maroc wp.me/p1fQiD-g7

Graphic posted on Twitter by @Redalinho

According to the graph, 63% (13.5 million) registered to vote and only 29% of the total potential 21.6 million Moroccan eligible voters cast their ballot.

Mahjoub Feryate (@feryate) posts [ar] the following graph showing the evolution of voter turnout in legislative elections in Morocco since independence in 1956:

Voter turnout in Morocco since independence, posted on Twitter by @feryate

According to official figures, 20% of the votes were blank or canceled. Mahjoub Feryate (@feryate) posts this picture taken in a polling station during the vote count. An official shows a spoiled ballot:

Picture posted on Twitter by @feryate

Reactions to the participation rate were mixed.

Khalid Aarifi (@khalidaarifi) tweets [ar]:

بنسبة مشاركة افضل من سابقتها و بالفوز الكبير للبيجيدي، انتخابات 25 نونبر شكلت فعلا محطة جديدة في المسار الديمقراطي للبلاد،#intikhabates

Ichrak Ma (@ichrak_ma), however, tweets:

@ichrak_ma: I am proud to announce that the vote turnout in my family is 0% :) #intikhabate #Morocco poke @Tama_Hanich

And the winner is…

As the first preliminary results were announced, the Twitter account of the PJD party, @PJDofficiel, started gathering new followers and attracting the attention of Moroccan Twitter users. Mehdi TAZI (@passiondcrire) tweets [fr]:

Les marocains ont voté à 45% pour #intikhabates mais je suis sur que l'attention de plus de 50% des marocains est porté sur @pjdofficiel.

Soon, the hashtag #PJD started trending, as highlighted by Okbi Moncef (@zeplintor) who tweets:

#PJD en trending TOPIC mondial sur twitter d.pr/2Efg sur tweet stat bit.ly/PyWVm #intikhabates

Okbi Moncef posts the following screenshot, supposedly showing the main topics trending globally on Friday night:

The unprecedented victory of the Islamist party elicited many responses amongst Moroccan tweeps. Wasseem Kabbara (@kabbara) is quick to remind the winners of the following:

Let us not forget that a true democratic system respects the minority and is responsible to offer equal opportunity.

Ibn Kafka (@IbnKafka) wonders:

Does @pjdofficiel have it in them to evolve like the AKP and challenge the “deep state” institutions? I doubt it #morocco #intikhabates

Reda Lemniaï (@Redalinho) is skeptical. He tweets [fr]:

Au 1er de l'an 1433, le #PJD gagna les élections au #Maroc. Cela ne changea rien, le Royaume étant une monarchie absolue. #Intikhabates

Moroccan expats

Moroccans living abroad and willing to vote, had to cast their ballot by proxy. Samia Errazzouki (@charquaouia), a Moroccan living in Washington DC, demonstrated in front of the White House to express her frustration for not being able to vote for herself. She tweets:

Since we couldn't vote today, me and @ManalBou decided to protest instead! http://yfrog.com/ny7xghtj #intikhabates #morocco

Samia posts the following picture on Twitter:

Picture posted on Twitter by @charquaouia

“A joke is a very serious thing”

Very late on Friday night a hashtag spread like wildfire on Twitter: #fakepress. As press releases announced the victory of the PJD, Twitter users started tweeting fake and humorous headlines, playing with popular clichés and stereotypes.

Rajae blogging on twitto ergo sum collected [fr] some of the irreverent tweets:

Benkisition !

Vote pour un, voile pour toutes

Après le printemps arabe, l'hiver islamiste

Some have celebrated the PJD victory in the most unexpected places. Late on Saturday night, Yacine Baroudi (@FasTake) tweets [fr]:

L'exception #Marocaine: #Photo célébrant la “victoire” du PJD dans… la boîte le “Silver”!!! #Marrakech http://fstk.it/xppvp #intikhabates

Picture posted on Twitpic by @FasTake

PJD's victory in the parliamentary elections is a first in Morocco. Also unprecedented, is the way Twitter and social networks in general, have been used to monitor the poll and engage with political figures.

As an increasing number of Moroccan political parties, public figures, government and non-governmental organizations join online network, it is very likely that these channels will play a greater role in the future political life in the country.

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests 2011.

Written by Hisham Almiraat · comments (2)
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Morocco will hold parliamentary elections on Friday, November 25, 2011. The poll is the first since a referendum, in July 2011, led to the adoption of a series of constitutional amendments introduced by the King and intended, officially, at reducing his prerogatives in favor of a democratically elected legislature and government.

Voters will elect members of the Lower House of the Moroccan parliament, or Assembly of Representatives, for a term of five years. The elections do not involve the Upper Consultative House, or Assembly of Councillors, which is elected indirectly in a separate process by trade unions and local councils.

The new Constitution provides that the king chooses the future prime minister, among the party that comes out first in the poll. The government is then to be constituted ​​according to a parliamentary majority.

The Lower House is elected through a closed party-list proportional representation system. This means that people will vote for party lists rather than individual candidates. According to official figures, 13 million Moroccans have registered to vote.

The electoral campaign was officially launched on November 12 and runs through November 24, the night before the election.

Some attribute the constitutional changes introduced by the king and the speed with which the reforms were carried out, to the pressure brought to bear by the February 20 movement, which has been leading street protests for the last nine months. Others, on the other hand, think the movement has lost its momentum and its appeal with the public ever since the referendum in July.

Actively calling for boycott during an electoral campaign is considered illegal in Morocco. Several activists distributing leaflets containing inscriptions such as “I will boycott. How about you?” were briefly detained in cities like Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier.

The February 20 Coordinations (the name that designates the local committees of the movement) in Casablanca and Rabat and other major cities issued a statement calling for the boycott of the upcoming poll. On Sunday, thousands of protesters answered the call by marching across the country.

Online debate

Moroccan netizens are using the internet extensively to discuss the issues raised by the upcoming legislative elections. Part of the discussion is revolving around the electoral programs of the competing parties, the question of whether to boycott or participate in the poll and the role played by the pro-democracy youth movement, February 20. The debate has been raging across social networks and blogs, and it is not uncommon to see discussions taking a confrontational turn.

Khalid Zriouli calls for a more reasoned debate. He writes [ar]:

Among the 395 seats of the upcoming Chamber, 60 are reserved for a national list of women.

Houda says she will vote. She doubts the measures taken to increase female representation in parliament can work if women do not vote on Friday. She has this to say to fellow Moroccan eligible female voters [fr]:

On nous leurre avec une égalité de surface et une parité chimérique. On nous promet constitutionnellement un droit qui n’a plus besoin d’être argumenté […]
Votez citoyennes, les citoyens qui comptent vous gouverner, ont maintenant la conscience tranquille.

The 2011 United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index (HDI) ranks Morocco at the 130th place, below many comparable Arab countries. Visiting Norway, the country that topped the UNDP ranking, Ayman could not help but make the comparison. He says he will vote but deplores the incumbent government's record. He writes [fr]:

La Norvège m’a fait pâlir de jalousie à un point où je suis devenu allergique aux déclarations ridicules d’un gouvernement qui nous a fait perdre 4 place en 4 ans et qui continue de nous faire rougir de honte par les programmes électoraux flous de ses ministres qui ont mis maintenant la casquette de leurs partis périmés.

Many citizen-driven initiatives have emerged during this election period, among them Wlad Cha'ab (Children of the People), a podcast platform co-founded by Khaled Abjik and which offers the opportunity for participants to share their arguments for or against participating in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The following video [ar] is the first in a series. Some participants are calling for the boycott, others say they will vote to change the political establishment. Others parody political parties' electoral campaigns.

And there is no shortage of creativity between opponents and proponents of the vote who have been waging a tit-for-tat battle on social networks.

On YouTube, pro-vote and pro-boycott videos are being uploaded. The following video was posted by the3doors. It asks viewers to participate in the poll “because one voice is not enough”:

In the following video, posted by DIRIKTEtv, and shot during a pro-boycott demonstration, interviewees express various reasons why they will not turn out on Friday, among which endemic corruption and the lack of trust in the political class.

Citizen watch

The upcoming elections will be monitored by local as well as accredited foreign observers. Some citizens, however, have decided to take matters into their own hands. Marsad.ma is a platform launched by the Moroccan Human Rights Organization (OMDH) allowing citizens to monitor the election and report on incidents or irregularities occurring during the poll using various tools such as Twitter or SMS text messaging. The website draws from the experience of the renowned Ushahidi platform.

Riad Zany interviews one of Marsad's team members:

“This year, given the changes occurring across the region and the importance of the internet as a citizenship tool, we decided to explore digital technology and new media,” said Mounir Bensalah, an observer and member of the Marsad team.

Campaign 2.0

Political parties are also trying to take advantage of the widespread use of social media by young people. Many parties and political leaders have launched their own Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. But they are late in the game according to Marouane Harmach who writes [fr]:

La forte pénétration des médias sociaux parmi les jeunes (merci le printemps arabe), a poussé les organisations demanderesse d’audience large : les entreprises, les organisations associatives, les partis politiques et …. les politiciens à utiliser ces canaux dans leur communication à l’adresse des militants et du large public.
Au Maroc, les politiciens et les organisations politiques ont compris – un peu tardivement – l’intérêt des médias sociaux et ont commencé à l’investir de manière très souvent gauche et maladroite.

La raison de cette « gaucherie » est la déconnexion des politiciens des attentes et des pratiques des catégories les plus « connectées ».

Internet, a space for public debate

Parliamentary elections are creating a passionate debate in Morocco, especially among young people. An increasingly important part of that public debate is occurring on the Internet.

It is not yet clear what role the Internet is having in real politics in Morocco, but one thing is certain: political organizations as well as activists are beginning to rely more and more on social media. The Arab revolutions may have played some part in this evolution.

This post is part of our special coverage Morocco Protests 2011.

Written by Hisham Almiraat · comments (0)
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