Families Demand Justice for Sahrawi Prisoners
On July 8, 2026, in Rabat, Morocco, families of the Sahrawi civilian prisoners from the Gdeim Izik Group staged a significant protest outside the Moroccan Prison Administration Delegation. This demonstration was fueled by their deep concern regarding the harsh conditions, egregious human rights violations, systematic searches, and instances of torture allegedly faced by Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan facilities. The families voiced their distress and called for immediate attention to these critical issues, believing that such actions represent serious infringements of human rights.
During the protest, the families expressed their unwavering support for Naâma Asfari, a Sahrawi civilian prisoner currently engaged in an open-ended hunger strike as a form of protest against what they characterized as a policy of forced starvation imposed by the Moroccan prison authorities. They argued that these actions amount to crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and held the Moroccan government accountable for the safety and well-being of all Sahrawi prisoners.
Call for International Intervention
The families' statement highlighted the ongoing denial of fair trial rights for these prisoners and condemned the continuation of psychological and physical torture, including prolonged periods of solitary confinement and deliberate medical neglect. Alarmingly, these practices occur in an environment devoid of accountability or independent oversight, with human rights organizations barred from conducting visits. The families also lamented the apparent silence of the international community regarding these violations, which they claim violate both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and various United Nations resolutions pertaining to Western Sahara.
In their statement, they urgently called for the immediate and unconditional release of all Sahrawi civilian prisoners, particularly focusing on Naâma Asfari. Additionally, they appealed to the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for immediate action to safeguard the lives of those on hunger strikes and demanded an independent international investigation into the alleged crimes and violations against Sahrawi detainees in Morocco. The families concluded their message by reaffirming their commitment to their human rights campaign and peaceful struggle, emphasizing that the resilience of their imprisoned loved ones mirrors the Sahrawi people's unwavering quest for freedom, independence, and the reclamation of their fundamental rights.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
