Moroccan theatre maker dies after self-immolation protest
Ahmad Jawad, a noted Moroccan theatre figure, has tragically died after self-immolating outside the Ministry of Culture in protest against his insufficient pension, received since his 2021 retirement. Active in the arts since the 1970s, Jawad was also an advocate for theatre rights, notably opposing the closure of Oujda's theatre hall. He went on a hunger strike in 2016 for funding related to his production A Lesson in Love. His passing draws parallels to the self-sacrifice of Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia, which ignited the Arab Spring. Writer Yassin Adnan highlighted the precarious state of Morocco's artistic community.
Key facts
- Ahmad Jawad died after setting himself on fire outside Morocco's Ministry of Culture.
- He was protesting his low pension since retiring in 2021.
- Jawad entered the Moroccan theatre scene in the 1970s.
- He opposed the closure of Oujda's theatre hall.
- In 2016, he went on a hunger strike to fund his play A Lesson in Love.
- His other works include The Turtle, Him, and May God Have Mercy on Mi Tammou.
- His death recalls Mohamed Bouazizi's 2011 self-immolation that sparked the Arab Spring.
- Moroccan writer Yassin Adnan commented on the fragility of the artistic sector.
Entities
Artists
- Ahmad Jawad
- Yassin Adnan
- Mohamed Bouazizi
Institutions
- Ministry of Culture
- Morocco World News
Locations
- Morocco
- Oujda
- Tunisia