Archive: morocco
9th June 2010
Ali Amar was co-founder of the independent Moroccan weekly, Le Journal Hebdomadaire, which was forced to close last January. He is also author of Mohammed VI: Le grand malentendu, a book critical of the king which was published last year (extracts here, in French).
Zineb El Rhazoui is a freelance… Read more
28th May 2010
A story of a kind that's all too familiar in the Middle East. Last Friday night, an altercation broke out between two motorists in the streets of Rabat, right in front of the parliament building. In the ensuing scuffle, one of the motorists (a local doctor) was injured.
The police swiftly… Read more
27th May 2010
Tens of thousands of Moroccans saw Elton John perform at a free concert in Rabat last night. Despite earlier opposition from Islamists on the grounds of his sexuality, no violence was reported, though security was tight.
The Associated Press describes the event as a "litmus test" for Morocco's… Read more
19th April 2010
Morocco's first gay magazine was launched this month, in print and on the internet. Mithly (Arabic for "gay") says it aims to give a voice to "lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals, to express themselves despite the fact that the authorities pretend that they do not exist."
It is being… Read more
3rd April 2010
The new Almazar shopping centre is opening in Marrakesh today, covering 33,000 square metres on five levels, with parking for 1,200 cars, a 800-seat food court and familiar names like Carrefour and Virgin Megastore.
It's progress, I suppose, and I've nothing against Moroccans having decent shopping… Read more
21st February 2010
The collapse of a minaret which killed at least 41 worshippers during Friday prayers in Morocco is raising similar questions to thetragic floods that hit Jeddah in Saudi Arabia last November: were the deaths preventable and, if so, who failed to prevent them?
The Moroccan interior ministry has been… Read more
12th January 2010
After long delays, Morocco's first Amazigh (Berber) TV channel was launched last week. Initially, it is broadcasting six hours a day, and 10 hours a day at weekends, in the Tachelhit, Tarifit and Tamazight dialects.
I can't vouch for the quality of the programmes but nevertheless it's a very… Read more
16th December 2009
A blogger and the owner of an internet cafe have been jailed in Morocco. The blogger, Bashir Hazzam, was sentenced to four months for "disseminating false information harmful to the kingdom's image concerning human rights".
He was arrested after publishing a statement on his blog from students… Read more
9th November 2009
Two journalists from Morocco's biggest-selling daily newspaper have been sentenced to jail for "publishing false information".
Rachid Nini, founding editor of al-Massae was given a three-month sentence and writer Said Laajal a two-month sentence in connection with a report on August 17 about the… Read more
28th October 2009
The leading Spanish daily, el Pais, is the latest paper to be censored by the Moroccan authorities. Distribution of its Saturday edition was blocked in Morocco for "attacking the monarchy".
El Pais had reprinted a cartoon which first appeared in Le Monde (also banned) as well as a caricature of… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
