Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Maghreb

Main case page (talk) — Preliminary statements — Evidence (talk) — Workshop (talk) — Proposed decision (talk)

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)

Case opened on 01:44, 24 March 2026 (UTC)

Case closed on 01:43, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Watchlist all case (and talk) pages: Front, Ev., Wshp., PD.

Case information

Involved parties

Prior dispute resolution

Preliminary statements

Preliminary statements given in the case request stage may be found at /Preliminary statements.

Preliminary decision

Clerk notes

This area is used for notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

Arbitrators' opinions on hearing this matter (8/0/1)

Vote key: (Accept/decline/recuse)

Temporary injunction

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.

Passed 8 to 0 at 03:36, 28 March 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton blocked

2) M.Bitton (talk · contribs) is blocked. This temporary injunction automatically expires when this case is closed and implementation of the decision is complete.

Passed 4 to 0 at 9:47, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

Final decision

All tallies are based on the votes at /Proposed decision, where comments and discussion from the voting phase is also available.

Principles

Purpose of Wikipedia

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not a battleground

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

National and ethnic disputes

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Necessity of dispute resolution

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.

Passed 12 to 1 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Purpose of dispute resolution

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Third opinion

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.

Passed 12 to 1 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Bludgeoning

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.

Passed 11 to 2 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Edit warring

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Findings of fact

Locus of dispute

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Temporary injunction passed during case

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Tag-team editing

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).

Passed 12 to 1 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Bananakingler

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.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton: conduct within the Maghreb topic

5) M.Bitton has engaged in extensive disruptive conduct within the Maghreb topic area. This includes:

  • Biting newcomers (Mdm.Bla evidence, Alaexis evidence)
  • Attempting to evade a block by emailing editors with requests to make particular edits (private evidence, block log)
  • Pushing a pro-Arab–Algerian point of view (asilvering evidence), including these double standards depending on what aligns with their point of view:
    • Whether something should be described as "Maghrebi" or by anachronistic terms like "Moroccan" or "Algerian" (Samuelshraga evidence)
    • Whether to give credence to official government positions regarding the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (HetmanTheResearcher evidence)
    • Whether to include a "support" section in {{infobox military conflict}} (HetmanTheResearcher evidence)
  • Exhibiting a battleground mentality (M.Bitton evidence, private evidence)
  • Obstructing consensus-building, often in concert with others, by:
    • Bludgeoning discussions by overwhelming opponents with repeated comments (Sirfurboy evidence, HetmanTheResearcher evidence)
    • Stonewalling discussions by refusing to compromise or seek middle ground and putting hurdles in the way of good-faith proposals (Kowal2701 evidence, PositivelyUncertain evidence, AndreJustAndre evidence)
    • Refusing to engage in informal dispute resolution requested by opposing parties (ToBeFree evidence, Uhoj evidence, Samuelshraga evidence)
  • Edit warring (Super Goku V evidence)
  • Violating the civility policy (jacobolus evidence, Katzrockso evidence, Bananakingler evidence)

They were blocked for one month by asilvering (talk · contribs) in March 2025 for their conduct within the topic area.

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton: conduct outside the Maghreb topic

6) M.Bitton has also engaged in disruptive behavior elsewhere, often but not always in connection with Maghreb-related disputes. Examples include:

  • Obstructing the consensus process by:
    • Bludgeoning discussions (Sirfurboy evidence) and stonewalling (asilvering evidence, JayBeeEll evidence)
    • Threatening an editor with arbitration enforcement (AE) for allegedly violating the biographies of living persons (BLP) policy; when another editor questioned what the BLP violation was, M.Bitton threatened that editor with AE too (Sirfurboy evidence)
  • Incivility towards other editors (HetmanTheResearcher evidence)
  • Edit warring over a self-created map derived from the CIA World Factbook, apparently motivated by the source's non-recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, then resuming the edit war a year later (asilvering evidence, jacobolus evidence, Alaexis evidence)

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).

Passed 13 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

R3YBOl

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.

Passed 8 to 0 with 1 abstention at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Skitash

8) Skitash has engaged in disruptive conduct within the Maghreb topic area, often in support of M.Bitton, by:

  • Behaving aggressively towards new editors (Mdm.Bla evidence)
  • Obstructed attempts at informal dispute resolution in apparent attempts to "win" content disputes by brute force (Uhoj evidence)
  • Edit warring to restore and preserve poorly sourced material (asilvering evidence)
  • Edit warring to prevent an update to the number of countries recognising the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, forcing an RfC in which no other participants agreed with Skitash and M.Bitton. Skitash's voted in the RfC with the rationale "per M.Bitton"; M.Bitton's offered no basis in policy or sources for that vote (Kowal2701 evidence).
  • Not participating in the talk page discussion or subsequent discussion at the original research noticeboard after edit warring at International recognition of the SADR (Nice4What evidence)
  • Frequently using abrupt or unclear edit summaries when reverting, leaving other editors with little idea of Skitash's objections to their edits (LEvalyn evidence)

They also removed another editor's comment supporting sanctions against Skitash and M.Bitton (Kowal2701 evidence, Uhoj evidence).

Passed 12 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Remedies

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.

Contentious topic (limited to specified parties)

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.

Passed 8 to 3 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton, R3YBOl, and Skitash are considered a single user

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.

Passed 8 to 4 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Bananakingler one revert restriction

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.

Passed 11 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton topic banned

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.

Passed 11 to 1 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

M.Bitton banned

4b) M.Bitton is indefinitely banned from the English Wikipedia. This restriction may be appealed after twelve months, and every twelve months thereafter.

Passed 12 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Skitash topic banned

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.

Passed 11 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Skitash rollback revoked

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.

Passed 11 to 0 at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

R3YBOl topic banned

6c) R3YBOl is indefinitely topic banned from the Maghreb region, broadly construed. This remedy may be appealed immediately, and every six months thereafter.

Passed 8 to 0 with 1 abstention at 01:41, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

Enforcement

Enforcement of restrictions

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.

In accordance with the procedure for the standard enforcement provision adopted 26 April 2026, this provision did not require a vote.

Appeals and modifications

In accordance with the procedure for the standard appeals provision adopted 26 April 2026, this provision did not require a vote.

Enforcement log

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.