Spanish Union Leader Warns of Escalating Human Rights Violations in Western Sahara
David Blanco, head of external relations at Spain’s General Confederation of Labor (CGT), has raised alarm over the worsening human rights violations in Western Sahara, accusing the Moroccan occupation of intensifying its repressive policies.
Blanco was expelled from the occupied city of Dakhla by Moroccan authorities earlier this month after a brief visit. Speaking to Algeria’s official news agency (APS), he warned that Morocco is determined to conceal the daily persecution of Sahrawi civilians from the international community.
“Morocco fears that the world will uncover the harsh reality of oppression in the occupied territories. This is why it systematically prevents foreign observers, human rights activists, and journalists from entering Western Sahara,” Blanco stated.
He described his expulsion as a calculated attempt to intimidate international observers. “From the moment I arrived in Dakhla, I sensed an abnormal situation. My passport was confiscated before reaching the immigration checkpoint, and I was closely monitored by plainclothes officers,” he said. His movements were tracked for hours before being forcibly removed from the city.
Blanco condemned Morocco’s repressive tactics, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and online censorship against Sahrawi activists. “For foreigners, merely engaging with Sahrawi human rights defenders makes them ‘undesirable’ and leads to expulsion,” he explained.
He emphasized the need for international attention on Morocco’s systematic abuses and called for greater efforts to expose the reality on the ground. “Many in Europe struggle to comprehend the extent of these violations, which is why we must shed light on the occupation’s crimes through direct witness reports,” Blanco asserted.
The Spanish labor confederation reaffirmed its support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and vowed to continue advocating for their cause.
