This case is now closed and pages relating to it might no longer be watched
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Target dates: Opened 24 March 2026 • Evidence closes 23:59, 7 April 2026 (UTC) • Workshop closes 23:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC) • Proposed decision to be posted by 21 April 2026
Scope: disruption related to the Maghreb and the conduct of the named parties in general
Case clerks: Sennecaster (talk) & EggRoll97 (talk) • Drafting arbitrators: HouseBlaster (talk) & SilverLocust (talk) & HJ Mitchell (talk)
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Case opened on 01:44, 24 March 2026 (UTC)
Case closed on 01:43, 28 April 2026 (UTC)
This case is closed. No edits should be made to this page except by clerks or arbitrators.
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Preliminary statements given in the case request stage may be found at /Preliminary statements.
Vote key: (Accept/decline/recuse)
1.2) With the exception of arbitration pages, Bananakingler (talk · contribs), M.Bitton (talk · contribs), and Skitash (talk · contribs) are topic banned from the Maghreb region and banned from interacting with one another, both broadly construed. This temporary injunction automatically expires when this case is closed.
2) M.Bitton (talk · contribs) is blocked. This temporary injunction automatically expires when this case is closed and implementation of the decision is complete.
All tallies are based on the votes at /Proposed decision, where comments and discussion from the voting phase is also available.
1) The purpose of Wikipedia is to create a high-quality, free-content encyclopedia in an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual respect among contributors. Contributors whose actions are detrimental to that goal may be asked to refrain from them, even when these actions are undertaken in good faith; good-faith actions, where disruptive, may still be sanctioned.
2) Wikipedia is not a battleground. Disputes will inevitably arise and editors will have strong feelings, but the purpose of Wikipedia's content dispute resolution processes is to reach a consensus about how best to present information in an encyclopaedia, not to "win" the dispute.
3) Several of Wikipedia's most bitter disputes have revolved around national or ethnic conflicts such as rival national claims to disputed territories or areas. Editors working on articles on these topics may frequently have strong viewpoints, often originating in their own national or other backgrounds. Such editors may be the most knowledgeable people interested in creating Wikipedia content about the area or the dispute, and are permitted and encouraged to contribute if they can do so in a manner that is consistent with Wikipedia's fundamental policies. However, conduct that furthers a preexisting dispute on Wikipedia should receive special attention from the community, up to and including sanctions. It is perfectly possible to present a balanced, accurate, and verifiable encyclopedia article about contentious issues or preexisting disputes.
4) Many strategies for resolving disputes—such as requesting a third opinion, visiting the dispute resolution noticeboard, and following the "BOLD, revert, discuss cycle"—are optional. Following the policy Wikipedia:Dispute resolution is not.
5) The purpose of dispute resolution processes on Wikipedia, formal or informal, is not for one side of a dispute to "win", but to establish the best version of a page in relation to Wikipedia's policies and guidelines. These processes only work when all parties engage with them in good faith. Refusing to engage, disregarding outcomes, or insisting on further dispute resolution before changes can be made can all be construed as tendentious editing.
6) Disputes between exactly two editors are eligible for the third opinion process. While the process is neither binding nor mandatory, it can be disruptive if editors who are involved in a topic area habitually show up to disputes listed at third opinion to prevent outside editors from providing their perspectives.
7) In formal discussions, less is usually more. Editors who choose to ignore this advice by replying to a large number of comments can bludgeon the discussion. Bludgeoning exhausts other editors, dissuades further participation, wastes time, and makes discussions less effective. Editors should avoid repeating the same point or making so many comments that they dominate the discussion. Editors should particularly avoid trying to convince specific other people that they are right and the other person is wrong, and should instead focus on presenting their own ideas as clearly and concisely as possible. Being right on the merits of the discussion does not excuse bludgeoning.
8) Edit warring is prohibited. This is true even when the disputed content is clearly problematic, with very limited exceptions. The three-revert rule does not entitle users to revert a page three times each day, nor does it endorse reverting as an editing technique.
1) This case concerns editing about the Maghreb region (western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara) and editing about related topics, with particular focus on the conduct of the following named parties:
Evidence about named parties outside the topic area was accepted.
2) Bananakingler, M.Bitton, and Skitash continued to edit war while this case was open (Bananakingler block log, Skitash block log, ToBeFree evidence, conversation at Drmies's talk page). This led to a temporary injunction prohibiting the three editors from interacting with one another and editing about Maghreb topics, with the exception of arbitration pages. The injunction expires under its own terms when this case closes.
3) M.Bitton, R3YBOl, and Skitash have engaged in tag-team edit warring and have often supported each other in content disputes, including some listed at third opinion, preventing outside editors from offering their opinion. Whether or not these actions are coordinated, they have given the impression that the three editors act as one (Samuelshraga evidence, Kowal2701 evidence, Nice4What evidence, AndreJustAndre evidence, Uhoj evidence).
4) Bananakingler has edit warred in the topic area (Skitash evidence, M.Bitton evidence). During this case, Bananakingler accused others of racism and lying without the required support for such serious charges (Skitash evidence).
Bananakingler is a relatively new editor, joining the project in May 2025. When this case opened, they had made approximately 500 edits to the English Wikipedia.
5) M.Bitton has engaged in extensive disruptive conduct within the Maghreb topic area. This includes:
They were blocked for one month by asilvering (talk · contribs) in March 2025 for their conduct within the topic area.
6) M.Bitton has also engaged in disruptive behavior elsewhere, often but not always in connection with Maghreb-related disputes. Examples include:
M.Bitton was warned against casting aspersions and reminded to abide by WP:CIVIL
in December 2024 within the Arab–Israeli conflict, has been subject to a two-way interaction ban with Aciram (talk · contribs) since October 2025 (editing restrictions log), and has been blocked multiple times for edit warring (M.Bitton block log).
7b) R3YBOl has engaged in battleground editing and POV pushing in the Maghreb topic area, playing up the prowess and prominence of Arab culture in Wikipedia coverage's of the area and doing the opposite for Berber culture. They were blocked on Arabic Wikipedia for being a sock of ابا خشم السندوس, who is blocked for sockpuppetry on Arabic Wikipedia, Egyptian Arabic Wikipedia, and Wikimedia Commons. R3YBOl also engaged in hateful conduct and harassment (1 2) on Arabic Wikipedia that aligns with their displayed enwiki POV (Uhoj evidence, asilvering evidence, Samuelshraga evidence, Monsieur Patillo evidence). They were unable to participate in this case due to private circumstances disclosed to the Committee. The Committee agrees that the circumstances are outside of their control and in no way reflect negatively upon them.
8) Skitash has engaged in disruptive conduct within the Maghreb topic area, often in support of M.Bitton, by:
They also removed another editor's comment supporting sanctions against Skitash and M.Bitton (Kowal2701 evidence, Uhoj evidence).
Note: All remedies that refer to a period of time, for example to a ban of X months or a revert parole of Y months, are to run concurrently unless otherwise stated.
1b) When making edits relating to the Maghreb region, broadly construed, Bananakingler, M.Bitton, R3YBOl, and Skitash must follow the editing expectations that would apply to a designated contentious topic. Violation of this remedy may be enforced in the same manner as a contentious topic, including through the standard set of user restrictions. Bananakingler, M.Bitton, and Skitash may appeal this remedy after six months, and every six months thereafter. R3YBOl may appeal this remedy at any time, and every six months thereafter.
2) For the purposes of content dispute resolution and edit warring, M.Bitton, R3YBOl, and Skitash are considered a single user. The three-revert rule applies to reverts by all three editors and, where they participate in discussions together, they are required to disclose this restriction and their arguments should be treated as though they were advanced by a single user.
3c) With the standard exceptions, Bananakingler is restricted to one revert per 24 hours on any page within the Maghreb topic area, broadly construed. This remedy may be appealed after six months, and every six months thereafter.
4a) M.Bitton is indefinitely topic banned from the Maghreb region, broadly construed. This restriction may be appealed after six months, and every six months thereafter.
4b) M.Bitton is indefinitely banned from the English Wikipedia. This restriction may be appealed after twelve months, and every twelve months thereafter.
5a) Skitash is indefinitely topic banned from the Maghreb region, broadly construed. This remedy may be appealed after six months, and every six months thereafter.
5b) Skitash's rollback permissions are revoked. Skitash may request restoration of the permission six months after the implementation of this remedy at Wikipedia:Requests for permissions/Rollback.
6c) R3YBOl is indefinitely topic banned from the Maghreb region, broadly construed. This remedy may be appealed immediately, and every six months thereafter.
0) Unless otherwise specified by the Arbitration Committee, should any user violate a restriction imposed directly by the Committee, that user may be blocked as an arbitration enforcement action. Such blocks must be logged in the arbitration enforcement log.
0) Appeals and modifications |
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This procedure applies to appeals related to, and modifications of, actions taken by administrators to enforce the Committee's remedies. It does not apply to appeals related to the remedies directly enacted by the Committee. All active arbitration enforcement actions may be appealed. Only active restrictions may be appealed, and all labelled enforcement actions (including ones alleged to be against policy) must be successfully appealed under the applicable arbitration enforcement appeals procedure before they can be modified. Unless otherwise specified by the Arbitration Committee, the following procedure governs arbitration enforcement appeals. An editor may:
Appeals submitted at AE or AN must be submitted using the applicable template. Only the restricted editor may appeal an editor restriction. Any editor may appeal a page restriction. A rough consensus of administrators at AE or editors at AN may specify a period of up to one year during which no appeals (other than an appeal to ARCA) may be submitted. While asking the enforcing administrator and seeking reviews at AN or AE are not mandatory prior to seeking a decision from the Committee, once the Committee has reviewed a request, further substantive review at any forum is barred. The sole exception is editors under an active sanction, who may still request an easing or removal of the sanction on the grounds that said sanction is no longer needed, but such requests may only be made once every six months, or whatever other period the Committee may specify. Changing or revoking an enforcement actionAn administrator may only modify or revoke an enforcement action if a formal appeal is successful or if one of the following exceptions applies:
A formal appeal is successful only if one of the following agrees with revoking or changing the enforcement action:
Any administrator who revokes or changes an enforcement action out of process (i.e. without the above conditions being met) may, at the discretion of the Arbitration Committee, be desysopped. Standard of review On community reviewUninvolved administrators at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard ("AE") and uninvolved editors at the administrators' noticeboard ("AN") should revoke or modify an arbitration enforcement action on appeal if:
Arbitrators hearing an appeal at a request for amendment ("ARCA") will generally overturn an arbitration enforcement action only if:
References
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Any block, restriction, ban, or sanction performed under the authorisation of a remedy for this case must be logged at Wikipedia:Arbitration enforcement log, not here.