Concerns for Naâma Asfari's Health Amidst Hunger Strike
The Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center (KHRC) has raised serious alarms regarding the deteriorating health of Sahrawi human rights advocate Naâma Asfari, who is currently imprisoned. The organization urges Moroccan authorities to release him immediately and to ensure his protection. Asfari, who began an open-ended hunger strike on June 8, 2026, is demanding recognition of his rights and a constructive dialogue concerning his situation.
Naâma Asfari serves as the Vice-President of the Committee for Liberties and Respect for Human Rights in Western Sahara (CORELSO) and has dedicated years to documenting human rights abuses in the region. His commitment to advocating for Sahrawi rights has not been without consequences; he was first detained by Moroccan authorities in 2009 for possessing a key ring featuring the Western Saharan flag. Subsequently, he faced another arrest on November 7, 2010, as part of the group known as the “[Gdeim Izik prisoners](https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/08/western-sahara-long-term-prisoners-await-justice),” following a peaceful protest against the dire social and economic conditions faced by Sahrawis. Asfari was subjected to torture during his initial detention, spending five days in an undisclosed location under horrific conditions. In 2013, a military court sentenced him to thirty years in prison, a decision that was later annulled in 2016 due to insufficient evidence; however, a retrial in 2017 reinstated the harsh sentence against him.
International Outcry Against Human Rights Violations
Numerous United Nations (UN) human rights bodies have consistently determined that Morocco has violated Asfari’s fundamental rights. In 2016, the UN Committee against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) concluded that Moroccan authorities had tortured Asfari, breaching multiple articles of the Convention Against Torture. The CAT called for Morocco to provide him with adequate compensation, investigate his torture, and protect him and his family from further harassment. More recently, in 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) declared that Naâma and 17 other Gdeim Izik detainees were arbitrarily held and called for their immediate release and a thorough investigation into their detention circumstances.
Despite these international recommendations, Moroccan authorities have failed to act, subjecting Asfari and his family to continued harassment. In a desperate response to the inaction regarding his plight, Asfari began his hunger strike, which he refers to as his “Battle of Dignity.” Since the onset of this strike, he has lost significant weight, and his family has been cut off from communication with him since July 13.
As Kerry Kennedy, president of KHRC, articulated, "Every day that Naâma Asfari remains behind bars despite repeated UN findings that his detention is arbitrary and that he was tortured represents another day of impunity." Moreover, Aminatou Haidar, a renowned human rights activist, emphasized the critical nature of Asfari's situation, stressing that his death would mark an irreparable tragedy and a profound failure of the international community to uphold human rights.
KHRC strongly urges Moroccan authorities to release Naâma Asfari unconditionally, provide him with immediate access to independent medical care, and facilitate regular communication with his family. The ongoing detention of Asfari, in light of the UN’s findings and the refusal to address his legitimate demands, poses an imminent threat to his life and highlights Morocco's persistent oppression of Sahrawi activists and its failure to adhere to international human rights obligations.
As reported by kennedyhumanrights.org.
