Mohamed Belhassan Wazzani (in Arabic: محمد بن الحسن الوزاني -

Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...

, 17 January 1910 9 September 1978) was a Moroccan journalist and politician, one of the main leaders of the Moroccan nationalist movement, founder of the ''

L'Action du Peuple (, ''The Work of the People'') was the first francophone newspaper published by the Moroccan Nationalist Movement in the area under the control of the French Protectorate in Morocco. As the French authorities would not allow a nationalist public ...

'' newspaper and of the Democratic Independence Party.

Early life

Mohamed Belhassan Wazzani was born in 1910 in Fez, and grew up in his hometown, studying at the

University of al-Qarawiyyin The University of al-Qarawiyyin ( ar, جامعة القرويين; ber, ⵜⴰⵙⴷⴰⵡⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵇⴰⵕⴰⵡⵉⵢⵉⵏ; french: Université Al Quaraouiyine), also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in ...

. In 1927, he went to Paris to pursue his studies in political sciences. In 1933, he founded the nationalist French-speaking newspaper ''

'', which was the first anti-colonial French-speaking newspaper in Morocco.

Political life

In 1934, Wazzani started his activity in the Moroccan nationalist movement, of which he was one of the leaders together with

Allal al-Fassi Muhammad Allal al-Fassi (ⵄⵍⵍⴰⵍ ⵍⴼⴰⵙⵉ) (January 10, 1910 – May 13, 1974), was a Moroccan politician, writer, poet and Islamic scholar. Politics He was born in Fes, Morocco. He studied at the University of Al-Qarawiyyin. F ...

. In 1937, and after a disagreement with Al Fassi, Wazzani distanced himself from Al Fassi and founded a separate movement. In the same year, he was arrested by the French and exiled to the Sahara, where he remained until 1946. In 1946, and upon his return from exile, he went to Casablanca and founded the Democratic Independence Party, asking for the full independence of Morocco and for the implementation of a constitution based on a constitutional monarchy. In 1960, and after Morocco's independence, Wazzani became a minister of state in the government. In 1971, and after the 1971 coup attempt, Wazzani lost his right hand, and learned to write with his left hand.Mohamed Belhassan Wazzani - A French-style resistant - Hespress (2013) - in Arabic.
/ref> Mohamed Belhassan Wazzani died in Fez on 9 September 1978.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wazzani, Mohamed Belhassan Sunni Muslims Moroccan politicians University of al-Qarawiyyin alumni 1910 births 1978 deaths