Authorities in Morocco have reportedly denied entry to a Spanish delegation seeking to monitor the human rights situation in Western Sahara. The delegation, composed of representatives from the Canary Islands, was attempting to enter Laayoune (El Aaiún), the main city in the disputed territory.
The delegation included Noemi Santana Perera, a Spanish MP from Podemos, Carmelo Ramirez, Councilor for Institutional Cooperation and International Solidarity of the Gran Canaria Island Council, and Fernando Ruiz Perez, Head of Communication for Podemos Canarias. According to the delegation members, they were declared ‘persona non grata’ by a Moroccan security official and forced to turn back, effectively preventing them from carrying out their planned activities.
The intended visit aimed to meet with Sahrawi activists and document the human rights situation in the region, which has been a point of contention since the end of 1975. The delegation expressed strong condemnation of the Moroccan authorities’ actions.
Carmelo Ramirez described the denial of entry as ‘illegal’, asserting that Morocco does not have sovereignty over Western Sahara. He further stated that preventing international observers from entering the territory reflects a repressive control over the Sahrawi population.
In a joint statement, the delegation characterized the expulsion as an ‘unacceptable act of repression that hinders peaceful monitoring efforts’. They also highlighted the ongoing impunity regarding arbitrary arrests, torture, forced disappearances, and the constant harassment of activists.
Numerous organizations and political groups in the Canary Islands have denounced the expulsion, emphasizing that it is not an isolated incident. They claim that Morocco has a pattern of preventing the entry of delegations, observers, and support organizations. This reported policy extends to international human rights organizations as well.
The Association for the Protection of Sahrawi Prisoners in Moroccan Prisons and the French Association for Friendship and Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa claim that Morocco has expelled approximately 329 international observers since 2014, including parliamentarians and journalists from 21 countries.
It has been reported that Morocco has also denied entry to several international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Carter Center. Additionally, it has allegedly denied access to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for the ninth consecutive time.
