Moroccan YouTuber Reportedly Jailed After Skinning and Eating a Stray Dog on Camera

A Moroccan YouTuber, Ayoub Ben Nesnes, otherwise known as Ben Nesnes, is currently behind bars after being arrested for skinning, cooking, and consuming stray dogs on camera. In his defense, Ben Nesnes claimed his actions were intended to protest rising meat prices.

According to reports, Ben Nesnes was one of the most-followed Moroccan YouTubers, with more than 2 million followers, before being arrested on Friday.

In the video, Ben Nesnes displayed the dog and asserted that the stray could serve as an alternative to the sheep Muslims slaughter during Eid al-Adha. The influencer cooked the stray dog’s meat in front of the cameras, earning him close to 200,000 views before he uploaded the clip to YouTube.

In response to mounting pressure, Ben Nesnes published another video denying claims of the killing of the dog. He argued that the dog was already dead when he discovered it on the roadside after it had been hit by a vehicle. “The dog that appeared in the video, I didn’t kill it. I found it dead on the side of the road after it was hit in a traffic accident. I didn’t kill it, so stop saying that I did. Everything is documented, and there’s proof,” Ben Nesnes said.

Unfortunately, this did not go down well with the police, as the authorities from Temara, near Rabat city, issued an arrest warrant and detained the influencer for various charges, including disrespecting Islam and animal torture. Currently, Ben Nesnes is being held at El Arjat prison near Rabat.

This video sparked backlash, and three animal-protection organizations filed an official complaint against Ben Nesnes. Furthermore, religious figures have condemned his actions. Preacher Hamza al-Khalidi pointed out that eating dog meat is against Islam.

Previously, the YouTuber uploaded videos with snake and crocodile meat.