Reports

Minority Rights Group International: ‘apathy of the international community towards Western Saharan demands appears unchanged’

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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Freedom House: Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara still ‘worst of the worst’

03 / 06 / 2010 | Reports, Solidarity-Support

‘As the occupying force in Western Sahara, Morocco controls local elections and works to ensure that independence-minded leaders are excluded from both the local political process and the Moroccan Parliament. Corruption is believed to be at least as much of a problem in Western Sahara as it is in Morocco.’

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ASVDH report : 28 April – 10 May 2010

10 / 05 / 2010 | Reports

For over a week, the cities of Western Sahara have been since an increasing number of arbitrary detentions, incidents of harassment and possible disappearances of Sahrawi human rights activists by Moroccan authorities, which inhibits the work of individuals and organizations.

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Report of the deteriorating health status of the five Sahrawi political prisoners incarcerated in the prison of Salé in their nineteenth day of hunger strike

07 / 04 / 2010 | Reports

Brahim Dahane has frequent blackouts due to severe pain, consequences of his stomach ulcer. He and Yahdih Ettarouzi show a decrease in heart rate. According to an analysis Thursday, the sugar level is low for all inmates, between 0.74 and 0.84. Ahmed Nassiri and Ali Salem Tamek suffer from kidney problems. Ali Salem Tamek was transported to hospital for tests and refused to be placed on a drip.

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Report on the health status of 32 Western Saharan hunger strikers in Moroccan prisons

01 / 04 / 2010 | Reports

At about 15:00 GMT , Brahim Dahane, President of the ASVDH, lost consciousness due to severe stomach pain, consequences of his ulcer. Ahmed Nassiri, secretary general of the Committee for Human Rights in Smara, complains of severe pain in the heart, and acceleration in the number of pulses. His blood pressure is 9 / 11. Ali Salem Tamek, Vice-President of CODESA, suffers from shortness of breath, asthma attacks and acute vomiting. Yahdih Ettarouzi human right activist, suffers from severe pain in heart and intestine. Rachid Sghaer a member of the Committee against Torture complains of severe pain in joints. His blood pressure is low, 7/11.

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ASVDH report on recent violent events in Tan Tan

18 / 03 / 2010 | Reports

Today Thursday, March 18, 2010, many Saharawi human rights defenders were injured in Tan-Tan, southern Morocco, following a violent intervention of the Moroccan security forces backed by militias of citizens.

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US State Department: 2009 Human Rights Report: Western Sahara

11 / 03 / 2010 | Reports

There were credible reports that security forces sometimes engaged in torture, beatings, and other mistreatment of detainees. Although the CCDH reported that security forces engaged in serious abuses such as these less frequently than in previous years, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and local NGOs continued to report abuse, especially of Sahrawi independence advocates.

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HRW: Human rights conditions deteriorated overall in 2009 in Morocco

29 / 01 / 2010 | Reports

Human rights conditions deteriorated overall in 2009 in Morocco, although the country continued to have a lively civil society and independent press. The government, aided by complaisant courts, used repressive legislation to punish and imprison peaceful opponents, especially those who violate taboos against criticizing the king or the monarchy, questioning the ‘Moroccanness’ of Western Sahara, or ‘denigrating’ Islam.

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Report: Political prisoner Dagja Lachgar held in solitary confinement, Zaki prison, Salé, Morocco

10 / 12 / 2009 | Reports

Part I: Situation of political prisoner Dagja Lachgar in her single cell in the local prison Zaki, Sale

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Human Rights Watch to Morocco: Unacceptable restriction on the right of association in Western Sahara

16 / 11 / 2009 | Reports, Solidarity-Support

Morocco is taking another regressive step on human rights by blocking « unauthorized » visits by foreigners to the homes of Sahrawi activists in Western Sahara, Human Rights Watch said today. Since October 19, 2009, police have interrupted five such visits by Spanish journalists and human rights lawyers, telling them in each case that these visits they require prior clearance from the authorities. This practice, which has no apparent basis in Moroccan law, represents a new restriction on the rights of Sahrawis and of visitors to the region. Previously, plainclothes police generally did not interfere when foreigners entered the homes of known Sahrawi activists, although they often openly monitored such visits from a distance.

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