‘Torture has not ceased under King Muhammad’ – Freedom House slams Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara

10 May 2007 | Reports

Little freedom exists in the Moroccan occupied Western Sahara, noted U.S. human rights organization Freedom House in a report released today. The report highlighted the fact that ‘Moroccan officials restrict the ability of Sahrawis to form political organizations or assemble in public places’, even though ‘Demonstrations and riots are a regular occurrence in Western Sahara’s towns and villages’. It adds, ‘Moroccan authorities often arrest those involved.’ The report, THE WORST OF THE WORST: THE WORLD’S MOST REPRESSIVE SOCIETIES 2007, further underscored ‘Morocco’s constitution guarantees press freedom but, in practice, little exists in Western Sahara.’ Regarding labour rights, it said, ‘Sahrawis are subject to Moroccan laws, including labor laws, but little organized labor activity takes place in the poverty-stricken region’.

Placing Moroccan occupation in a historical context, the report said ‘Particularly during the 1961–99 reign of Morocco’s King Hassan II, the current king’s father, Sahrawis who opposed the regime were summarily detained, killed, tortured, and “disappeared.” While thousands of Moroccan dissidents suffered under Hassan’s rule, Sahrawis who defied him faced even harsher scrutiny. While the political situation is different today, Sahrawis who oppose Morocco’s sovereignty are still detained, and torture has not ceased under King Muhammad.’

For this reason, ‘International human rights groups have for decades criticized the behavior of Moroccan authorities in Western Sahara.’ Likewise, ‘A September 2006 report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was highly critical of Morocco’s record in the territory’.

Furthermore it notes, ‘Morocco’s Equity and Reconciliation Commission, founded in 2004 to examine government abuses under Hassan, did not hold scheduled public hearings in Western Sahara. Few Sahrawis had the opportunity to testify publicly before the commission.’

Read the full report here.