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Morocco World
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Jerando Case: Anti-Morocco Jargon Backed, Used by Algeria's ‘Electronic Flies' & Beyond
Rabat – We are all familiar with the social media memes featuring people claiming they don't like drama, but when it happens, they will be the first ones to jump in and enjoy it. In many situations, individuals, groups, organizations, and even governments may intervene to lecture on human rights but often turn a blind eye to more urgent issues that deserve attention, such as the pleas of irregular migrants pleas, the genocide in Gaza, and other critical violations recorded here and there around the world. Instead, these actors would rather focus on cases of ordinary citizens who create a YouTube channel or a TikTok account to share unverified claims and disseminate allegations targeting a specific person or a whole country, with its institutions, organizations, and internal affairs. This is exactly the case with the Algerian regime and the claims of Hicham Jerando, a Moroccan YouTuber who lives in Canada. Jerando, who reportedly owns a men's clothing store, has made a name for himself not as a vendor but rather among those who enjoy conspiracy theories, especially about Morocco, its monarchy and security services. Upon the launch of his channel approximately four years ago, he presented himself as a consultant, covering different topics related to entrepreneurship, finance, among many. In the past few years, however, Jerando changed his narrative to focus on conspiracy theories and defamation campaigns targeting not only people, but also high-ranking officials in the security sector and the government. Social media as a refuge to success His videos on YouTube, with over 727,000 subscribers, rack up hundreds of thousands of views, and why wouldn't they? It is not surprising as many social media influencers turned to similar approaches to collect fame, exhibiting erratic behavior if one of their audiences sends a virtual gift like the 'TikTok Lion,' among others. A week ago, Jerando shared a video that generated over 126,000 views and hundreds of comments, the majority of which condemned his anti-Moroccan claims and defended the monarchy as the source of Morocco's stability. In the video, he claimed that he 'uncovered grave matters' — presumably expressing concerns about the 'dangerous' situation in Morocco – alleging that King Mohammed VI is 'being targeted by a silent coup' and that Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan is 'in danger.' Jerando further claimed that the monarch 'wanted to make radical changes,' but he 'was attacked and he is unable to act,' calling on people who care about the monarch 'to act immediately.' Many took to social media and on his YouTube channel comments section to denounce his claims, which have been largely perceived as a provocation that sought to incite violence and destabilization. Exploiting the emotions of his audience, Jerando's content creates an atmosphere of tension and division, promoting violent and rebellious ideas. His claims further intensified when some of his family members were arrested for their alleged involvement in extortion and embezzlement. Jerando's family lands in legal trouble Last week, the public prosecutor at the Casablanca court arrested four individuals who were taken in custody. The prosecutor identified two of the suspects as Jerando's sister and her husband, who face charges of 'complicity in contempt of a constitutional body and an organized group, dissemination and publication of false claims and facts to harm the privacy of individuals and defame them, as well as for the offense and threats.' One of the individuals is a minor, who was referred to a juvenile judge and ordered to stay at the Abdeslam Bennani Child Protection Center. International media, however, have spread fake news alleging that she has been put in a prison. The public prosecutor responded to the claims, reiterating that she is in fact in the child protection center, in line with legal procedures for minors. According to the prosecutor, the 13-year-old minor is involved in the case, in which she acquired and provided SIM cards used in acts of cyber extortion, blackmail and defamation by the primary suspect. While the court did not specifically mention his name, reports said the court referred the primary suspect to be Jerando, who is currently on the run abroad. The Regional Human Rights Committee in the Casablanca Settat Region is currently monitoring the case. In response to rumors and claims, the council called for refraining from sharing the child's identity, name, and image as this could violate her privacy and lead to potential psychological harm. The suspects were arrested following a complaint from a woman who said she received a call from an unknown phone number in which she was subjected to defamation, insults, and threats. Morocco's media perspective Moroccan news outlet Le360 said on March 4 that the charges contradict Jerando's channel, as he has been ironically promoting content that seeks to fight against corruption and embezzlement. 'The most surprising aspect is the cover under which Hicham Jerando hides-his fight against corruption and embezzlement,' the news outlet said. According to their sources, Jerando has 'intervened to ask the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health to have one of his nieces admitted to medical school in Morocco.' The news outlet further said that 'the one who spends his time selling his videos by fighting against embezzlement, corruption…was hoping to bypass an entrance exam to get his niece into medical school.' Converging media further reported on the case in Morocco, noting how Jerando 'skillfully navigated social media codes' to strike accusations and conspiracy narratives to catch his audiences' attention. 'However, by continually pushing the limits of discourse, the foundation on which his credibility rested collapsed, dragging several associates into a legal process with multiple ramifications,' Telque l wrote . Loved by Algeria's 'electronic flies' Jerando's narratives have been well-seated among 'electronic flies' – or fake troll-like accounts – orchestrated by both regimes and media that endorse anti-Morocco sentiments and rhetoric. Specifically, Jerando's content has also been hijacked and amplified by electronic flies originating from Algeria, which are using the situation to target Morocco's stability and undermine its reputation. Various Algerian TikTok and Instagram accounts are widely exploiting the controversy surrounding Jerando's claims. These accounts are amplifying his conspiracy theories, especially about the alleged Moroccan coup as well as multiple narratives that paint Morocco and its monarchy in a critical light. The arrest of Jerando was soon picked up by the Algerian regime's affiliated media, which used unverified claims and unsurprising defamations to take on Morocco and its internal affairs. Algeria's official media claimed Morocco arrested the suspects in a 'fabricated case to take revenge on a relative of hers who exposed the crimes and revealed the involvement of high ranking officials in corruption… and other matters treating the security of the state.' These claims have been widely circulated in Algerian media including Radio Algerie, as well as electronic flies, without any concrete evidence or supporting documents to substantiate the accusations. Using hashtags, describing it as a 'scandal in Morocco,' one journalist in Algeria turned a blind eye on Morocco's prosecutor's clarification that the minor allegedly involved in the case was placed in a child center and not prison. 'The scandal surrounding the arrest of 13-year old…by the Moroccan authorities has sparked widespread anger among human rights activists and journalists, who labeled it as a 'dark day for human rights in Morocco',' he claimed, alleging this comes amid 'growing danger of systematic repression of freedom of speech.' These maneuvers are not surprising as the regime has been lobbying and picking up on any chance – no matter if it's baseless – to portray Morocco unfavorably, especially when it comes to targeting the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara. Tags: algeria and human rightsHicham Jerando Case
Morocco World
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Analyst: European Commission Aviation Announcement Will Unlikely Affect EU-Morocco Ties
Rabat – Countries from across Europe continue to call on the European Union (EU) to strengthen bilateral ties with Morocco at a time marked by hostile maneuvers and anti-Moroccan rhetoric at the European Parliament and other bodies of the Brussels-based blocs. Attempts aimed at Morocco's territorial integrity include biased positions from some MEPs as well as other maneuvers challenging the country's interests -- including its trade ties with the EU and the country's tourism attractiveness, among others. The latest maneuvers have been targeting Morocco's momentum -- including some companies' decisions to launch direct air routes between Morocco's southern provinces and European destinations. One of the key announcements includes Ryanair's decision to launch new air routes between Madrid and Dakhla. This made Ryanair one of the first partners of Morocco's tourism office to launch a direct international route to Dakhla. Other partners include Binter Canarias and Transavia. Similar announcements are often met with frustration and nerve-racking from pro-Polisario activists among MEPs, as well as the separatist group's traditional supporters -- particularly the Algerian regime. In November last year, the European Commission received a question from MEP Lyn Boylan, a leftist politician who showed a strong stance against Ryanair's decision. The MEP asked the commission to confirm whether Ryanair "has been advised of the specific obligations which it must comply with as a result of operating within an occupied territory." Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, responded to the claims on January 20 by recalling that the "Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement" between Morocco and the EU "does not apply to routes from the territory of an EU member state to the territory of Western Sahara." He said that the commission informed EU carriers of the news on December 2 last year," recalling the European Court of Justice's hostile ruling against Morocco. In October last year, the European Court confirmed its hostility by accusing the European Commission of "violating the right of self-determination of Western Sahara's population." Morocco responded to the verdict, stressing that Rabat does not consider the ECJ's ruling as relevant or important for its agricultural or fisheries agreements with the EU. The Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement: 'Morocco is not a party to this case, which involves the European Union on one side and the 'Polisario' supported by Algeria on the other. Morocco did not participate in any phase of this procedure and, therefore, does not consider itself concerned by the decision.' Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita echoed the same remarks and has called on the EU to take action and clarify how it intends to preserve its partnership agreements with Morocco. Given Morocco's widely recognized contribution to stability and peace in Europe, Bourita argued, the country needs actions and a meaningful approach from the EU to tackle such attempts to undermine its strategic interests and territorial integrity. Amid these developments, the Algerian regime has been eager to celebrate some of the latest maneuvers from MEPs, including the latest European Commission's response, as "a new setback" for Morocco. On Sunday last week, Algerian news outlet TSA claimed that the EU Commission's response was a "second major setback in a few months," recalling the European Court of Justice's hostile verdict of October 2024. "Another cold shower for Morocco, which had prematurely declared victory after France's recognition of its sovereignty over the occupied territory," TSA wrote, stressing the Algerian regime's obsession with Morocco's territorial integrity and its frustration with the international community's growing support for the Moroccan cause. Algeria's regime and its affiliated media often rush to celebrate any decision or statements challenging Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces, regardless of the neglectable impact or significance such actions end up having on the broader consensus regarding the region's future. As Algerian political analyst Oualid Kebir told MWN, the European Commission's statement received "extensive media coverage in Algerian outlets, whereas it gained little attention in the international media." For Kebir, a similar decision holds "no significant impact and contradicts the international momentum Morocco's cause has recently witnessed." In addition to France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, Morocco has been receiving widespread support from other European countries in addition to its traditional supporters in the Middle East, the Gulf region, Africa, and the Americas. Over 20 EU countries now support Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the sole realistic basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara. Dozens of African countries in addition to Arab states opened their consulates in Morocco's southern provinces in Dakhla and Laayoune, reflecting their support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan. This is in addition to the US recognition of Morocco's territorial integrity and the continued disavowal of Polisario's self-proclaimed SADR by its former allies that are increasingly embracing the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the best path forward for the Sahara. Kebir told Morocco World News (MWN) that Algerian media sought to take advantage of the EU Commission decision by "portraying it as a victory." He also acknowledged the presence of some parties within the EU that "seek to use the issue as leverage to pressure Morocco, which is considered the EU's number one partner, with a large-scale trade relationship." Such decisions will unlikely impact the EU's ties with Morocco, Kebir added, recalling Rabat's strong cards positioning the country as a main partner in irregular migration and security cooperation. "It remains a strategic partner in several fields, particularly in combating irregular migration and ensuring strategic security cooperation," he said, noting that the European decision also contradicts the international momentum in the Western Sahara dispute Morocco has gained recently. "Such a decision will not significantly impact the growing relations between Morocco and the EU, particularly in the fields of air travel and tourism, as Morocco continues to see a great influx of European tourists, with Dakhla becoming a preferred destination for many," Kebir told MWN. Maneuvers against Morocco continue and will unlikely stop as Algeria's regime persists in its hostility towards its neighboring country. Some MEPs, lacking knowledge of the dispute, also continue their maneuvers at the European Parliament. The latest maneuver is a closed-door meeting at the EU Parliament, in which members of the Polisario Front will participate at the invitation of far-left MEPs. Several MEPs like Theirry Mariani and those from the PPE group announced they would be boycotting the meeting as they view Polisario as a threat to the region's stability.
