Social, Labor
and Human Issues
Survey on French Muslims Reopens Debate on Religious Practice, Identity, and Interpretation
A new IFOP survey reports rising religious engagement among young Muslims in France, sparking debate over interpretation, context, and the risks of overstating political meaning in faith-related polling.
Tunisia’s Main Union Calls Nationwide Strike Amid Political Tensions
Tunisia’s largest trade union, the UGTT, has called a nationwide general strike for January 21, 2025, to protest growing pressure on critics and the suspension of traditional wage talks with the government. The move marks a sharp escalation in a country where the union once brokered democratic compromise but now warns that political centralization, economic hardship, and stalled social dialogue are pushing Tunisia toward a new period of instability.
Morocco’s Influencers Face Rising Legal Risks
Morocco is seeing a steady rise in court cases against social media influencers, as prosecutors apply existing penal‑code provisions to online speech that once drew little official reaction. Recent prosecutions targeting YouTubers and TikTok personalities for alleged false information, insult, privacy violations, and offenses against public morals highlight how visible digital creators have become a frontline test of the country’s approach to free expression.
Moroccan Streamer Ilyas El Maliki Arrested Again
Moroccan streamer Ilyas El Maliki was arrested 25 November 2025 in El Jadida, following a police summons tied to a defamation complaint; details remain under investigation while public scrutiny grows.
MORE ARTICLES
Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk
Mauritania is confronting a concentrated desert locust outbreak, while FAO warns that shifting winds and favorable conditions could bring adult groups into neighboring countries.
Mauritania: New Rescue Off Nouadhibou as Regional Migration Pressures Intensify
Mauritanian authorities rescued 156 migrants drifting for ten days off Nouadhibou, while Guinea confirmed seven deaths after a separate pirogue carrying young migrants capsized off the Mauritanian coast. The two incidents highlight sustained pressure along the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.
Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali
Mariam Cissé, a prominent content creator from Tonka, Mali, was abducted and publicly executed by armed militants in the Goundam district of the Timbuktu region. Her killing, believed to be linked to videos she posted about armed activity in local markets, has drawn widespread shock online and underscored the dangers facing civilians and public figures in militant-controlled parts of northern Mali.
Morocco: Two Years After the High Atlas Mountains’ Earthquake, Recovery Remains Uneven
Two years after Morocco’s 2023 earthquake, thousands of families in the High Atlas Mountains are still living in temporary shelters as rebuilding moves slowly, despite major humanitarian efforts and cash aid programs.
Algeria: Salima Melizi’s Case Highlights Algeria’s Cultural Tensions
The recent detention and subsequent release of author and publisher Salima Melizi have unsettled Algeria’s literary community, bringing to light the continued pressures facing writers and intellectuals. The case, which did not begin with mainstream media coverage but instead spread through social networks and private discussion, has fueled debate over censorship, freedom of expression, and the increasing sense of caution within Algeria’s cultural scene.
Mauritanian Police Detain Anti-Slavery Activist After Advocacy Event
Warda Ahmed Souleymane, a member of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA), was arrested by police in Nouakchott the evening of October 31, 2025 and taken to an undisclosed location. The detention followed her public participation at a continental human rights session in The Gambia, where she called for peaceful civic mobilization.
Algerian Lawmakers Consider Stripping Citizenship from Nationals Abroad
Algeria’s parliament is reviewing a bill that would let the state revoke citizenship from nationals who commit acts deemed hostile to the country while living abroad. Critics warn the measure weaponizes national belonging and fuels distrust between the government and millions of Algerians living overseas, while lawmakers insist it will only affect severe threats to state security.
Tunisia: Pollution Uprising in Gabès Turning Into Sustained Protest Movement
Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of Gabès, Tunisia, demanding the shutdown of a polluting chemical complex and drawing national attention to public health, broken government promises, and the urgency of real change. As the crisis escalates, Gabès is testing Tunisia’s ability to respond to grassroots mobilization against environmental and political neglect.
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