Lisbon Parliamentary Conference Highlights Human Rights Violations in Occupied Western Sahara
The Parliamentary Conference on Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, held on Thursday in Lisbon, Portugal, issued a strong final statement condemning the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. The conference urged the Moroccan government to allow independent international human rights organizations and observers to access the region and assess the conditions on the ground.
The parliamentarians called on the United Nations to include human rights monitoring and protection as part of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). They also reaffirmed their support for the European Court of Justice’s rulings, which recently annulled fisheries and agricultural agreements between the European Union and Morocco. These agreements were deemed a violation of the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
Marking the 50th anniversary of Portuguese democracy, the conference reiterated the necessity of implementing UN resolutions on Western Sahara, emphasizing the importance of allowing the Sahrawi people to freely determine their future through a referendum on self-determination.
The parliamentarians expressed grave concern over the worsening human rights situation in the occupied territories and urged Morocco to permit international human rights organizations and observers to operate in the region. They also criticized recent political developments, including decisions by France and Spain to support Morocco’s so-called “autonomy plan” for Western Sahara, which they argued undermines international law.
The conference called on the Portuguese government to take a firm stance in favor of a self-determination referendum for Western Sahara, drawing parallels to Portugal’s support for East Timor’s independence.
In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Western Sahara in 2025, the final statement encouraged parliamentarians worldwide to advocate for human rights and self-determination for the Sahrawi people within their legislative bodies.
Pierre Galand, President of the European Coordination of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, emphasized the vital role of parliamentarians in pushing their governments to respect international law and uphold human rights.
