L7a9d
الحاقد
Belaghouat wearing a dark hoodie and light cap, being filmed by a crowd of people, smiling and appearing to shake hands
Belaghouat in 2012
Background information
Birth nameMouad Belaghouat
Also known asEl Haqed
Born1988 (age 35–36)
Casablanca, Morocco
GenresRap
Occupation(s)Musician, activist
Instrument(s)Vocals

Mouad Belaghouat (Arabic: معاذ بلغوات; born in 1988), better known as L7a9d or El Haqed (الحاقد), is a Moroccan rapper and human rights activist who rose to prominence when he was imprisoned for criticising Mohammed VI, the king of Morocco.[1][2][3]

After two years in prison, he was released in 2013. In February 2014, he issued the album Waloo.[4]

On 13 February 2014, the police raided a library where Belaghouat was holding a press conference, in which he intended to present his new album.[4]

Third imprisonment

On 18 May 2014, L7a9d was arrested again at the entrance of the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca.[5] He was trying to attend a game between Raja Casablanca and Moghreb Tetouan, and police officers arrested him, claiming he was selling tickets on the black market, an accusation which he denied. Additionally, the police pressed charges against him for allegedly beating four officers during the event.[5]

In September 2014, L7a9d was nominated by the European United Left–Nordic Green Left for the Sakharov Prize, along with Tunisian rapper Weld El 15 and Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah. The following month, the nomination was withdrawn after controversy over some 2012 tweets by Abd El-Fattah at the time of Israel's bombing of Gaza.[6]

References

  1. ^ Boukhari, Karim (12 May 2012). "L7A9D. Le rappeur des deux Oukacha". Telquel (in French). No. 492. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. ^ Karim, Maria (20 September 2011). ""L7A9D" ou, la voix du peuple". Lakome. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  3. ^ Stéphanie Binet (11 January 2012). "Mobilisation au Maroc pour L7a9d". Le Monde. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Maroc : Une conférence du rappeur L7a9d "empêchée" à la dernière minute". Yabiladi. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  5. ^ a b "L7a9d encore arrêté lors du match Raja Casablanca et Moghreb Tétouan". H24Info. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  6. ^ Joel Benin, Can Arabs be Human Rights Defenders?, Jadaliyya, 10 October 2014
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