Morocco arrests two leaders of defiant protest movement

Moroccan authorities today arrested two more leaders of a protest movement, after demonstrators rallied for more than a week against corruption and unemployment.
The northern port city of Al-Hoceima, in the neglected Rif region, has been rocked by social unrest since the death in October of a fishmonger.
Mouhcine Fikri, 31, was crushed in a rubbish truck as he protested against the seizure of swordfish caught out of season and his death has sparked fury and triggered nationwide protests.
The demonstrations have snowballed, giving way to a wider protest movement demanding more development and railing against corruption, repression and unemployment.

Nasser Zefzafi, who emerged as the head of the grassroots Al-Hirak al-Shaabi, or "Popular Movement", was arrested on May 29 after three days on the run.
He was detained along with others for "attacking internal security" forces, after a warrant for his arrest issued May 26 sparked turmoil in Al-Hoceima, a city of 56,000 inhabitants.

Since then protesters have taken to the streets nightly.
Today, the man widely referred to as Al-Hirak's number two, Najib Ahamjik, and a woman, Silya Ziani, seen as an active member of the protest movement were arrested, a lawyer and an activist said.
Ahamjik, who identifies himself as an accountant on his Facebook page, had gone into hiding after Zefzafi's arrest but posted two online videos calling for "peaceful" protests to continue.

His arrest was announced by lawyer Abdessadek El Bouchtawi on social media.
Ziani was in a taxi with three other activists on her way to Casablanca when they were arrested, said one of them, adding that the three activists were however released.