A Saudi series sparks controversy for portraying Morocco as a destination for sex tourists

Many Moroccan social media users have slammed a Saudi comedy series entitled «Share Chat» and shown on SBC, a governmental entity of Saudi Arabia, organized under the Ministry of Culture and Information, for offending Moroccan women. Reportedly, the series broadcasted during Ramadan, is accused of portraying the Kingdom as a destination for sex tourists.

In one of its episodes, three of the series’ main actors visited Morocco in an attempt to marry Moroccan women through temporary marriage contracts. This episode, in particular, was shot in Marrakech, a city stereotyped as a well-known destination for sex tourists from Europe and the Middle East.

Some of the angry social media users have blamed the Moroccan authorities of allowing the makers of the series to shoot «offensive» scenes in Morocco and in Marrakech. Others, however, put all the blame on Gulf media for circulating a wrong image on Moroccan women.

نتخيل لو في مسلسل مغربي يجيبو عشرين سعودية و قعد مغربي يختار منهم شو ردت فعل المجتمع السعودي؟
بس احنى مو بهذا الانحطاط الاخلاقي لسة ما خرجتو من عصر الجواري؟ مسلسلات قمة الحقارة من ممثلين و مخرج و انتاج و لي يتابعهم
فكونا من شركم بليز
#شير_شات

— خنفوسة الرماد ?? (@foulamarocaine) 30 mai 2018

«I hope the Moroccan authorities will do something to stop those trying to impact the reputation of Moroccan women», wrote Leila a Moroccan social media user.

مسلسل وقح ويضر بالعلاقات الاجتماعية بين البلدين ولايحكي واقع الشعب المغربي والشعب السعودي وهذه سقطة للمسلسلات التافهة #شير_شات

— نواف بن حمود العبود (@nawafgjjg) 4 juin 2018

«I wonder if in a Moroccan series you will have twenty Saudi women and a Moroccan man sitting on a chair trying to choose one of them as a wife, what will the Saudi society do ?», tweeted another woman.

نتخيل لو في مسلسل مغربي يجيبو عشرين سعودية و قعد مغربي يختار منهم شو ردت فعل المجتمع السعودي؟
بس احنى مو بهذا الانحطاط الاخلاقي لسة ما خرجتو من عصر الجواري؟ مسلسلات قمة الحقارة من ممثلين و مخرج و انتاج و لي يتابعهم
فكونا من شركم بليز
#شير_شات

— خنفوسة الرماد ?? (@foulamarocaine) 30 mai 2018

Saudis have also brought their anger to Twitter when commenting on the series. In another statement, a Saudi Twitter user wrote : «A shameless series that harms social relations between the two countries and doesn’t reflect the reality of the Moroccan and Saudi people».

«I hope Moroccans can make a difference between the Saudi society and this vicious series. It has nothing to do with the Saudi people», wrote another Saudi internet user.

Much Loved and Saudi people

Responding to critics, Saudi actor Hassan Assiri, who plays the role of the main character in the series, told Al Arabiya in an interview that the episode shot in Morocco was not intended to offend others, it was a comedy meant to make them laugh.

«Moroccans are very sensitive when it comes to this topic, but when they released the film, 'Much Loved' by the Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, showing a Saudi national as the dirtiest man on earth, no one spoke about it in Saudi Arabia», he said.

«Let’s not give things the attention they don’t deserve», he concluded.