Hicham Jerando: a dangerous fugitive protected by Canadian laxity
Hicham Jerando, or rather “Khariando,” a controversial figure with a heavy judicial record, has found in Canada much more than a mere refuge: a citizenship that shields him from any accountability. Convicted for inciting hatred and terrorist-related blackmail, he now fully exploits the loopholes of a permissive legal system.
Behind this Canadian nationality lies a rather dull reality. Khariando does not live as an exiled activist but as an unremarkable citizen, employed as a low-level server. He leads a bleak existence, dominated by an authoritarian wife who seems to control his every move.
This does not stop him from arrogantly claiming his acts. Under the guise of freedom of expression, he spreads a hateful and manipulative discourse, trying to pass himself off as a political dissident when in fact he is a repeat offender exploiting the freedoms his Canadian passport grants him.
From the comfort of his unambitious daily life, he orchestrates online campaigns of hatred against Moroccan institutions, sowing division within the diaspora and fueling anger among the most impressionable. Behind the activism façade lies a well-organized digital radicalization effort.
Canada, known for its humanistic principles, inadvertently becomes complicit in a security drift. By granting citizenship to such a dangerous individual, it undermines the trust of its allies and opens the door to others willing to evade justice under the cloak of legality.
Moroccan authorities have repeatedly warned about the danger Khariando poses. Able to shift from digital provocation to direct calls for violence, he cannot be reduced to a mere ordinary citizen. He represents a hybrid threat: technological, ideological, and transnational.
The international community must learn from this case. It is no longer just about controlling asylum requests but also monitoring the misuse some make of their citizenship. Khariando, caught between imposture and impunity, symbolizes this critical loophole that urgently needs closing.