Hisham Almiraat

Latest posts by Hisham Almiraat

Mauritania: Bloggers Call for the Boycott of Government-Sponsored Conference

  21 December 2011

Mauritania announced plans it would host Arab bloggers and activists involved in Arab revolutions in its capital Nouakchott. Its bloggers have joined forces to call on their Arab counterparts to boycott the event which is being organised by a military regime, which bans protests in the country, to embellish its image. They also remind activists that their country's regime has stood against Arab revolutions, in support of Gaddafi in Libya and Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Morocco: Multiple Arrests Against Activists

  13 September 2011

There has been a sudden surge in arrests among pro-democracy activists and online campaigners in Morocco in recent days. Three have occurred in the past week alone. Little has been reported in the press and it took bloggers to report on the arrests for the mainstream media in Morocco to pick up on the stories.

Morocco: Blogger Arrested in Northern City of Fnidaq

  9 September 2011

According to activists, Moroccan blogger and web programmer Mohamed Douas was arrested on Monday morning in the city of Fnidaq. His supporters say the arrest is related to Wikileaks Fnidaq, a website Mohamed helped create and in which documents intended to expose corruption within the local administration were published.

Morocco: The Twitter Opposition Party

  8 September 2011

On Monday, the Moroccan government launched a campaign to showcase its "achievements" since attaining power. A website was created to spearhead the campaign which comes only two months before a much expected parliamentary election later this year. Moroccan Twitter users used the platform to mock their government's claims.

Libya: Blogger Jad is Missing

  7 September 2011

Libyan blogger and programmer Abderrazak al Dokaly Assary (better known as Jad) has been missing since mid-August. According to the blog Made in Libya [Ar], Jad may have been executed or kidnapped by forces loyal to Gaddafi in the city of Zlitan before the fall of the city in the...

Morocco: SlutWalk Gets a Toehold

  7 September 2011

"Stand out for yourselves and demand respect. Shame has to switch sides!" This is the cri de guerre of Majdoline Lyazidi, the 20-year-old founder of SlutWalk Morocco, a Facebook page which aims at raising awareness against sexual harassment in the Moroccan society.

Morocco: A Personal Tale of Protest

The Moroccan pro-democracy movement known as February 20, struggles to communicate with the public amid a government-led campaign to discredit it. The movement primarily uses the Internet to explain its position and ideas. But it is the personal account of its own militants that impacts the wider public more starkly. Here is the moving story of one activist, Younes Loukili.

Morocco: Reform With the Taste of an Unfinished Business

Throughout the referendum process, the Moroccan blogosphere was divided over the issue of reform. The heated debate shaking the Moroccan society was reflected in social networks. Some are willing to accept the reform proposed by the King. Others question the legitimacy of a process, they say, was marred with irregularities.

Morocco: Pro-Democracy Movement Faces State Repression

When earlier this year a small group of Moroccan activists launched a Facebook campaign asking people to demonstrate in the streets, no one could predict that the call would drive a nationwide movement for change. Three months and a dozen marches, sit-ins and rallies later, the Moroccan blogosphere is asking where should the movement go from here and what new strategies to adopt in face of the mounting police repression.

Morocco: “I Love Kech!”

  2 May 2011

Marrakech, the main tourist attraction in Morocco, was hit on Thursday by a bomb attack. Bloggers are asking people to send their pictures to show solidarity with the victims of the attack.

Morocco: Bloggers React to Marrakech Attack

Morocco's tourist hub cof Marrakech was hit on Thursday by a bomb blast that ripped through a popular restaurant killing 16 people, most of whom were foreigners. Netizens have been quick to react, sending instant eyewitness accounts and statements of support for the victims. Here's a roundup.

Morocco: Controversy Over International Music Festival

Each year the capital Rabat is the epicenter of a major music festival, Mawazine. Since its modest launch in 2001, Mawazine has grown, and in the last decade has become the top national entertainment gathering. With the backdrop of political protests and calls for change though, controversy is rising in the Moroccan blogosphere around the use of public money for sponsoring the festival.

Morocco: Tweet Your Way To Change

The Arab spring has brought about enthusiasm for change. As the walls of fear start crumbling, people feel empowered and start taking matters into their own hands. In Morocco, one of the central themes for change is education, and one blogger has been able to launch the debate using Twitter as a medium.

Libya: Citizen Reporting from the Battlefield

Videos continue to seep out from war-torn Libya as protesters battle Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces in a bid to overthrow his 42-year-old regime. Here is a selection of the latest videos taken by netizens on the frontlines of major cities where the battle for Libya is still fought.

Hisham Almiraat's space

Talk Morocco