Latest posts by Jillian C. York from September, 2008
Blogger of the Week: Sami Ben Gharbia
This week's Blogger of the Week is none other than Global Voices Advocacy Director Sami Ben Gharbia, known for his dedication to the fight against oppression and censorship. Sami is originally from Tunisia, but has been based in The Netherlands since 1998. He blogs at fikra.
Morocco: Rural Women
Peace Corps volunteer Duncan Goes to Morocco explains what life is like for women in the rural community where he lives.
Morocco: Schools Closing
The View from Fez reports that the Moroccan government plans to shut down 60 Qur'anic schools around the country, all of which are associated with Sheikh Mohamed Ben Abderrahman Al-Maghraoui, who earlier this month decreed that the marriage of nine-year-old girls was permissible. His declaration is an affront to Morocco's...
The Blogma's Whims
A Moroccan About the World Around Him presents his take on the power of the Moroccan blogosphere.
Moroccan Blogger Mohammed Erraji Acquitted
The Blogoma, or Moroccan blogosphere, was buzzing today over news of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji's acquittal. Erraji was arrested last week for writing that the king's charity toward his people encourages them to remain helpless rather than work hard.
Morocco: Training Online Journalists
The View from Fez [en/fr] notes that Morocco will soon provide online journalism training for its print journalists. The trainings are supported by the U.S. Embassy and financed by the “Partnership Initiative with the Middle East” (MEPI). Moroccan blogger and journalist Rachid Jankari will lead the trainings.
Jordan: Killing Firefox
Jordanian blogger Qwaider writes of his prediction that Chrome will eventually outdo Firefox in the browser wars.
Moroccan Bloggers Strike for Erraji
When Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji was arrested last week, the blogoma's thoughts turned immediately to the case of Fouad Mourtada, the young man arrested earlier this year for impersonating Prince Moulay Rachid on Facebook. And just as they did when Mourtada faced imprisonment, Moroccan bloggers mobilized to support Erraji.
Morocco: Police Officer Shot by Member of Royal Family
After months of relative quiet in the Moroccan blogosphere, two incidents have everyone talking. One, of course, is the recent case of Mohammed Erraji. The other is the recent news that a police officer has been shot by a distant member of the royal family. The bloggers tell the story…
Morocco: Mohammed Erraji Provisionally Released
Today, Moroccans rejoiced at the news that Mohammed Erraji, the blogger who was arrested and quickly jailed, has been let out on bail. But the rejoicing was short-lived, as bloggers discuss a system mired in its ways and Erraji's upcoming retrial.
Morocco: Mainstream Media Coverage
A Moro in America remarks upon the mainstream media coverage given to Mohammed Raji's case and what effect it might have on Moroccan press freedoms.
Morocco: The Cost of Ideas
A Moroccan About the World Around Him ponders the cost of ideas, and attempts to explain why Mohammed Raji was given a hand of such swift (in)justice.
Morocco: An Inside View of Mohammed Raji's Trial
Ibn Kafka offers [fr] an inside view of Mohammed Raji's trial, explaining that Raji was not given the opportunity to defend himself, nor was he permitted defense by a lawyer.
Morocco: Understanding Mohammed Raji's Sentence
Less than a year ago, Global Voices noted Morocco as the “liveliest free speech zone in Muslim North Africa.” And yet, journalists are all too frequently fined or arrested, and yesterday a blogger, Mohammed Raji, joined their ranks. The blogger was arrested yesterday afternoon for insulting the king, and was immediately tried and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 (about $625). The Moroccan blogosphere, lively as ever, has rallied around Raji.
Morocco: Blogger Arrested, Sentenced Immediately
This morning, it was reported by the electronic news site Hespress [ar] that blogger Mohammed Raji was arrested in his home in Agadir. An article that Raji had posted on Hespress [ar] is said to be the source of the conflict, though neither that fact nor Raji's arrest have been...
Chrome Welcomed with Accolades and Controversy in the Middle East
On Tuesday, Google joined the browser game by launching its very own browser, Chrome, to positive accolades and a bit of controversy. The free browser, which is currently only available for Windows, caused not only a media storm, but a blog storm as well, from nearly every corner of the globe. The Middle East and North African blogosphere, always quick to react to big stories, immediately began buzzing about Chrome yesterday, and haven't stopped since.
Syria: Love of Twitterfox
Syrian blogger أدهم [ar] shares a love of the Firefox plugin Twitterfox, stating that Firefox “continues to shine” with its add-ons.
Syria: Sarkozy and Assad's dinner
sasa shares a photo of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad dining with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and divulges where the presidential duo shared a meal.
Palestine: No Student Associations
Rebellious Arab Girl explains her dislike for student associations in a humorous account of her involvement in an Arab student group.
Morocco: Welcoming Ramadan
Ramadan comes but once a year, and Moroccan bloggers are gearing up for the month ahead by sharing recipes, photos, and their thoughts on Morocco's imams spotting the moon a day later than most of the world.
Morocco: Extraordinary Rendition
Al Miraat/The Moroccan Mirror reports on the status of Binyam Mohamed, currently detained at Guantánamo Bay, and expresses disgust with Morocco's role in Mohamed's rendition, saying, “I'm speechless and abhorred by the Moroccan authorities’ attitude, abasing themselves to a despicable executor of America's dirty business.”
