Tunisian Author Faces Backlash at Moroccan Festival Over Muhammad Book

According to Le360, it all started on Friday, July 26, 2019, when Youssef Belhaissi commented on the invitation of the Tunisian intellectual, Hela Ouardi, to lead a debate as part of the "Twiza" Festival in Tangier. This was a conference-debate on the theme: "Truth and Legend: The Challenge of the Enlightenment". This circumstance quickly triggered reactions as virulent as each other.

It was then that the presenter of the program "Chabab Vox" also chose to express his reaction, by posting his opinion on his official Facebook page. We could read: "A Tunisian writer casts doubt on the existence of the Prophet Muhammad during a conference in Tangier. As soon as there is a bastard or a bastard who proclaims himself a writer, we invite him to our place. The worst thing is that this is happening with the blessing of the Ministry of Culture."

These words were not well digested by thousands of Internet users. Indeed, nearly 3,000 comments were published in record time, some of which, more bitter than others, tried to put Youssef Belhaissi back in his place. Others, ironical, mocked the journalist. "When are you going to take up arms to join your Al-Nosra [terrorist group in the Syrian context, affiliated with Al Qaeda, Ed.] comrades?" one of the Internet users even launched at him.

On the other hand, other Internet users, taking the journalist’s side, blamed the organizers who, according to them, should not have invited a controversial writer.

Tunisian academic born in 1973, Hela Ouardi was unknown to the intellectual world of Tunis until 2016, following the publication of her book "The Last Days of Muhammad", published by Albin Michel, the same source notes.