Sahrawi Rights Bodies Urge Immediate International Intervention to Protect Activists, Detainees
Sahrawi human rights organizations have called on international bodies and institutions to intervene urgently to protect Sahrawi rights activists and political detainees currently held in Moroccan prisons.
The Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH) issued a statement urging international human rights bodies to act immediately to halt violations against Sahrawi detainees, who are targeted for their advocacy of the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.
The association expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of Sahrawi civilian prisoner and human rights defender Brahim Daddi Ismaili. A member of the “Gdeim Izik” group held in Ait Melloul 2 prison, Ismaili is reportedly being denied essential medical care due to ongoing administrative delays and “procrastination” by prison authorities.
The ASVDH further highlighted the plight of Sahrawi civilian prisoner Ahmed Al-Bashir Al-Sibaai in Morocco’s Kenitra prison, noting that his health has severely declined as a result of sustained medical neglect.
Simultaneously, the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA) called for international protection for Sahrawi activists, bloggers, and political prisoners facing systemic rights violations.
The collective cited the recent case of Sahrawi student and former political prisoner Hussein Bourkaba. Following his release, Bourkaba was arbitrarily detained on 26 March and subjected to an eight-hour interrogation for peacefully demonstrating and raising the Sahrawi flag to demand self-determination.
