Madrid will be the venue for an international human rights conference on December 11th, focusing on alleged human rights violations in the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The event is organized by the General Council of Spanish Lawyers.
Timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day on December 10th, the conference aims to raise awareness about the situation in the region, particularly concerning restrictions on international observers. The organizers emphasize the importance of shedding light on the territory as it awaits decolonization.
The conference is part of the 12th Human Rights Conference, themed “Voices of Lawyers at Risk.” A key speaker will be Sahrawi lawyer Ahmed Hali. Hali has reportedly been barred from practicing law by Moroccan authorities due to his advocacy for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.
Hali, a recipient of the Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders at risk (2025), emphasized the significance of the conference in exposing what he described as crimes committed by the occupation. He alleges that authorities are employing various means to undermine the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
“The Western Sahara is witnessing an unprecedented escalation and direct targeting of human rights defenders,” Hali stated, accusing authorities of retaliating against activists for their efforts to liberate their land. He further claimed that these activists are diligently documenting the reality of the situation, including alleged human rights abuses that could amount to crimes against humanity.
Hali intends to use the conference as a platform to expose the human rights situation in Western Sahara, which he says is characterized by ongoing violations. He highlighted the unsafe environment faced by Sahrawi human rights defenders, citing restrictions, sieges, and the closure of the territory to foreign missions.
He also pointed to what he termed a continuing pattern of reprisals.
