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Monday, August 23, Moroccan police arrested Ahmed Salek Latrache, a Saharawi citizen in the ‘la visite’ Avenue in El-Aaiun, Western Sahara, before holding an interrogation under torture. According to Ahmed Salek Latrache, 20 years old, a Moroccan police patrol led by the Brigadier Abdul Ali Rashidi attacked him while he was walking along the boulevard and forced him to get into the patrol car. During the trip, the Brigadier Abdul Ali Rashidi deliberately hit Mr. Latrache on the soles of his feet. The interrogation, questions and strokes continued after his arrival in the prefecture.
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A number of Sahrawi human rights activists and international observers have been injured Monday morning after the brutal intervention of the Moroccan police in the city of El-Aaiun, Western Sahara.
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They tied my hands over my shins. They put a stick under my knees and bent me over my arms. They hung me high up my head down (the police call it ‘roast chicken’). They struck me as they repeated the same questions … Then they poured dirty water on me. It flowed to my mouth and my nose until I feel suffocated.
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Moroccan authorities should release three well-known Sahrawi activists held since October 8, 2009 on charges of ‘harming state security,’ or provide them with a prompt and transparent trial, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch said that if Morocco insists on going forward with such a trial, it should be transferred from the military to a civilian court. Ali Salem Tamek, Brahim Dahane and Ahmed Naciri are among seven Sahrawi activists whom Moroccan police arrested immediately upon their return from visiting Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria.
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We got out of car making the sign of victory. Orders were given to the police in civilian clothes approached us and then attacked the group. They hit hardest Mr. Hasan Dah and Mrs. Khadjatou Lma’adal, who was hit on the head and fainted. I quickly brought Ms. Khaddjto Lmaadal in the house and tried to heal her. As Miss Mary Salek Boudjemaa was also injured, I tried to help her too. The police constantly threw stones at the house. They came with a car full of stones as we saw before the house. They always do like this. There were very many.
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As many of the Moroccan policemen were visibly aggressive, I decided to go into the house of a member of my family, not far from the place of reception. An hour later we have heard screaming and we went out to see what was happening outside. The police chased the Saharawi citizens in order to intimidate and discourage them from gathering outside the house. I ran up until Boukraa avenue to wait and see the situation from afar. I was accompanied by dozens of Sahrawis awaiting the arrival of members of the delegation. We were again surprised by patrols of plainclothes policemen who chased us all down in a car. One of them punched me in the nose. I bled a lot and I fainted.
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Many Saharawi citizens were planning to attend a reception in honor of eleven Sahrawi human rights activists came back from a visit to the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria.The Moroccan authorities have ordered the security and auxiliary forces to intervene against them. The violent confrontation has left many injured.
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12 / 07 / 2010 | Reports
The struggle for self-determination of Western Sahara continued in 2009 despite Morocco’s hardening position. In 2007, the UN attempt to break the deadlock over Western Sahara brought Polisario and Moroccan authorities together for the first time in ten years. But two years on, this spirit of open dialogue seems to have dissipated. UN Security Council Resolution 1754 in April 2007 called for the two parties to hold unconditional talks to achieve ‘a mutually acceptable political solution providing for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara’. However, Security Council Resolution 1871 of April 2009 effectively downgraded the previous resolution and urged the parties ‘to hold small, informal talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations’. The apathy of the international community towards Western Saharan demands appears unchanged.
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Balagh Brahim and Ali Salem Bariaz were arrested Dec. 13, 2008 and incarcerated in Marrakesh’s local prison awaiting trial. Said El Ouaban was arrested June 3, 2009 in Smara and was transferred from Marrakesh to Salé prison because of university exams he too awaiting trial and an official charge .
