Several human rights organizations have called on the international community to intervene urgently to protect Sahrawi political detainees, ensure their fundamental rights are respected, and put an end to the abuses they face within Moroccan prisons.
Sahrawi detainees Moroccan prisons
The Committee for the Protection of Civilians of the Gathering of Sahrawi Defenders for Human Rights (CODESA) issued a statement urging the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, special rapporteurs on human rights, and relevant international organizations to act in defense of Sahrawi prisoners. This call is based on opinions from the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and decisions from the Committee Against Torture.
CODESA expressed deep concern over the "deplorable and inhumane" conditions experienced by Sahrawi detainees in Moroccan prisons. The group holds Morocco "fully responsible" for their physical and psychological well-being, especially amid increasing health risks from hunger strikes. Many of these prisoners have endured over 15 years of political detention, suffering physical and psychological torture, forced displacement, and solitary confinement as forms of punishment.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Families of Sahrawi Political Detainees reiterated its appeal to international and regional human rights organizations and UN bodies for immediate intervention to monitor the human rights situation in Western Sahara and provide necessary protection for defenders. They demand the international community assume its legal and ethical responsibilities regarding ongoing violations targeting the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Sahrawi people and human rights defenders in the region.
In the context of severe abuses against Sahrawi human rights defenders, the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State confirmed that the fabricated verdicts recently issued against former Sahrawi students and political prisoners, El-Bar Kentaoui and Salek Babir, along with student Abdou Samad Tika, were rendered in the absence of the accused and their defense teams. This undermines the right to defense and the guarantees of a fair trial.
The association demanded the annulment of these verdicts, ensuring the individuals receive all their legal rights, and a trial that meets the standards of justice. They urged the United Nations and human rights organizations to follow this case and monitor related violations.
This escalation coincides with a campaign of intimidation targeting Sahrawi prisoners, including students, even after their sentences have concluded. The aim appears to be to break their resilience and their determination to defend their just cause.
Related topics: Sahrawi political prisoners, human rights Morocco, Western Sahara, detainee rights, international intervention, Algeria
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