UK Rights Group Denounces Ban on Human Rights Delegations in Occupied Western Sahara
The British organization “Justice” has strongly condemned the Moroccan authorities’ decision to prevent a foreign political and human rights delegation from entering the occupied territory of Western Sahara, describing the move as a flagrant violation of international law.
In a statement, the organization said that this arbitrary act constitutes a “serious breach of international law” and rises to the level of an internationally wrongful act that entails legal responsibility for the occupying power. It stressed that barring a delegation engaged in a peaceful and legitimate mission aimed at monitoring human rights conditions and meeting Sahrawi human rights defenders reflects a clear disregard for fundamental legal standards.
Justice highlighted that the delegation’s members were held inside the aircraft and denied disembarkation without any explanation or identification of the authorities responsible, calling this behavior a clear violation of the most basic principles of the rule of law and procedural guarantees. According to the organization, the incident provides further evidence of a systematic policy intended to block independent international scrutiny of the situation in Western Sahara.
The organization further noted that the act constitutes a direct breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly the right to freedom of movement and the right to seek, receive, and impart information. It also violates the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which prohibits obstructing or intimidating individuals and organizations engaged in peaceful human rights activities.
Justice emphasized that this incident is “not an isolated case,” but part of an ongoing policy aimed at isolating Western Sahara from the international community and preventing documentation of serious human rights violations. These include the systematic suppression of peaceful protests, arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and the targeting of Sahrawi human rights defenders. The organization pointed out that available reports confirm that dozens of Sahrawi political prisoners remain detained in Moroccan prisons under conditions that fall short of international standards for fair trial guarantees.
The organization called on the United Kingdom, the United Nations, the European Union, and all concerned states to uphold their legal and political responsibilities by ensuring unrestricted access to the territory for international observers, media, and human rights organizations. It also urged the establishment of an independent and effective human rights monitoring mechanism, including the incorporation of such a mandate within the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
In conclusion, Justice reaffirmed that the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination is “inalienable and non-negotiable under any circumstances,” warning that continued international silence in the face of these serious violations only serves to entrench impunity in a territory that has remained under occupation for decades.
APS
