Amnesty concerned about risks human rights activists facing in Western Sahara:
London, 27 May, 2010: Amnesty International has expressed concern about the suffering of the Sahrawi human rights activists in the occupied territories of Western Sahara as a result of their activities in defense of freedom of speech and right of self-determination.
In its 2010 Report, published Thursday, Amnesty International noted that Moroccan "authorities tightened restrictions on expressions in favour of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara."
"Sahrawi human rights defenders, activists and others faced continuing harassment, including surveillance, threats and assault at the hands of security officials, and prosecution on politically motivated charges, apparently to deter or punish them for expressing their views and documenting human rights," it added.
The Report mentioned the arrest on October 8, of the seven Sahrawi human rights activists after a visit to the Saharawi refugee camps, and expulsion of Sahrawi human rights activist Aminatou Haidar on November 14, from the occupied city of Layoune, by Moroccan authorities.
It also Highlighted that the Moroccan authorities restricted the movement of Sahrawi activists and human rights defenders, preventing them from observing trials, documenting violations and meeting foreigners, and that some were banned from travelling abroad and had their identification and travel documents confiscated.
It should be recalled, the Moroccan occupying authorities launched since October a hysterical campaign against Sahrawi human rights activists and Sahrawis demanding their right to self-determination and freedom, to try to dissuade them from continuing defense of human rights, especially the right to self-determination.
More than 50 Sahrawi political detainees are now languishing in Moroccan prisons, some of them face martial trials and others have been sentenced to more than twenty years imprisonment.
According to the: (SPS)
