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Moroccan activists petition UNESCO over Algeria’s claim of ‘Caftan Ntaa El Fassi’

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Moroccan activists have launched an online petition against what they describe as Algeria’s attempt to claim its cultural “Caftan Ntaa El Fassi” as part of its own heritage at UNESCO.

According to the activists, this is not the first time that Algeria has attempted to claim elements of Moroccan culture and heritage as its own, prompting the petition.

So far, the petition has garnered more than 21,000 signatures, calling on Moroccans to defend their heritage against repeated attempts of cultural theft.

The signatories expressed deep concerns about safeguarding the country’s cultural legacy from any form of misappropriation.

The activists also expressed their disapproval of the inclusion of the image of the Moroccan “Fassi Caftan” in Algeria’s cultural heritage dossier which it submitted to UNESCO in April which had sparked heated debates in the two countries.

The Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication has also waded into the impasse with a pledge to take legal measures to counter alleged attempts by Algeria to claim the Moroccan caftan as part of its own and include it in the file they submitted to UNESCO.

The ministry, according to local media reports, has already filed a complaint to UNESCO’s evaluation committee requesting the removal of the image and the accompanying description placed under it in the Algerian file.

The Fassi caftan, which originates from the Moroccan city of Fez, is reported to be one of the most iconic and cherished elements of Moroccan cultural heritage and is characterized by its unique design, showcasing the fine craftsmanship and artistic skills of Moroccan artisans.

“The dispute over the Fassi Caftan is not Algeria’s first attempt to claim elements of Moroccan culture and heritage as its own,” one online media said.

“Over the years, there have been recurring incidents where Algeria has sought to appropriate Moroccan culture and even claim some Moroccan traditional dishes as their own.

“These attempts have sparked tensions between the two neighboring countries, with Moroccans fiercely defending their cultural identity and expressing concern over the preservation of their heritage,” it added.

Culture

Kenyan officials arrest four Tiktokers for filming robbery prank video outside police station

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Kenyan Police authorities have arrested four young Tiktokers for filming a robbery prank outside a police station in the Kilifi North Sub-county.

Local media reports that the four young people who were aiming for social media fame, were arrested after filming and publishing on Tiktok a fake robbery outside the police station.

“The four young people, one of whom is 17 years old, made a video titled ‘wezi mbele ya police station’ (robbery outside a police station), and posted it on the popular video platform. However, police didn’t take it lightly,” one report wrote.

“In the video, a seemingly drunk man exits the Administration Police (AP) canteen and gets robbed by two others on a motorcycle.

“The 18-year-old cameraman was among those arrested. Police identified them through CCTV footage at the AP canteen. The youths were arrested at their homes in Kilifi, with the oldest being 27 years old,” another report said.

The Kilifi North Sub-county Police Commander, Kenneth Maina, who confirmed the incident and arrest of the suspects, said investigations are still ongoing, and the suspects will face charges, including cybercrimes.

“The viral video of a daylight robbery at the Kilifi Administration Police canteen in Kilifi was not real but a prank by a group of youths creating content for their TikTok account,” Maina said.

Maina said they were pursuing another suspect who was still at large, adding that the youths revealed they only wanted to attract followers to their TikTok account.

“There were five youths and we managed to arrest four of them and the other one we have a crucial lead that will lead us to an arrest,” the Police Commander said.

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Culture

Ghanaian Supreme Court begins hearing in case challenging anti-LGBTQ+ bill

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The Ghanaian Supreme Court Thursday began hearing on a suit challenging the anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by parliament in February.

The suit filed by lawyer and journalist, Richard Dela Sky, seeks to challenge the controversial bill which prescribes a three-year jail term for people identified as gay and five to 10 years for LGBT advocates.

The lawsuit, which was filed in March, sought the court to prevent the parliament Speaker and Clerk from sending the bill to President Nana Akufo Addo, while also seeking that the president should not sign the bill into law.

A second case brought before the apex court by academic researcher, Dr Amanda Odoi, is challenging the constitutionality of the bill and was also heard by the court.

Presiding judge, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, however, expressed concern about the strong language used in some of the sworn statements.

“I think that the language is intemperate, a lot of the paragraphs contain language that is inappropriate, scandalous, so I want to give you directions,” Torkornoo said.

Local media reports that the tense events on day one of the hearing did not come as a surprise to many given the controversial nature of the bill, which has been condemned by Western donors and human rights groups.

“The hearing was presided over by the chief justice along with four other Supreme Court judges and broadcast live on television, because of the keen interest in the case among Ghanaians,” the report said.

“President Akufo Addo had said he would await the verdict of the Supreme Court before deciding whether or not to sign the bill into law and the case has been adjourned to 17 May,” the report said.

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