Jailed Moroccan rapper Mouad Belghouat on Monday (February 4th) began a hunger strike, Aufait Maroc reported.

The 24-year-old hip-hop artist and member of Morocco's youth activist group M20F is serving a one-year term at Casablanca's Oukacha prison.

Belghouat, known as "El-Haqed", was jailed last May in connection with the posting of a YouTube video set to his song "Kilab al-Dawla" (Dogs of the State). He has denied any connection to the video.

Last month, Transparency Morocco honoured the rapper for his "fight for an integrated and transparent society".