Sahrawis’ self-determination right requires urgent international support, says Javier Bardem

Spanish actor and producer Javier Bardem reaffirmed his support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination while receiving the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA). He urgently called on the international community to stand with the Sahrawi people.

According to the Spanish website El Diario, Bardem used his acceptance speech in New York to stress the “difficult situation” facing the Sahrawi people, which requires international support. He argued that defending press freedom and human rights systematically involves defending the just causes of oppressed peoples.

Bardem specifically noted the media blackout imposed by the Moroccan occupier in the occupied Sahrawi territories, stating that a free press is crucial for exposing violations and crimes that might otherwise go unpunished.

“The press shapes our collective understanding of the world. It does not just convey information to us; it helps us to better see the suffering (of the oppressed) despite the distances,” he said.

He concluded that the press “gives us the opportunity to see reality as it is, and reminds us that it is our duty to listen, to be attentive to the voices of those who suffer and to understand their respective stories in detail.”