The Moroccan occupation authorities have allowed the police
and security forces in the Occupied Zones of Western Sahara to use excessive
force against Saharawi protesters.
The Royal Moroccan Government must end the violence against
Saharawi civilians and when any members of the security forces are found to
have violated people's human rights, they must be brought to justice.
The Moroccan occupation authorities and their police
security forces and their auxiliaries, some of whom were dressed in plain
clothes, launched a violent attack against Saharawi protesters, using excessive
violence to disperse peaceful protests. The protests were in solidarity with
Saharawi political prisoners and to denounce the clandestine move of the Gdeim
Izik group of prisoners to Moroccan prisons. The authorities of the Kingdom of
Morocco used excessive, unnecessary, unjustified and disproportionate force
against peaceful protesters who did not represent any threat and they acted
outside of the law.
Members of Adala UK documented the way in which members of
the security forces beat protesters, using batons and throwing stones and
driving at protesters in their armoured vehicles. The list of victims includes:
*Aziza Biza, who writes for a Saharawi news website, was
badly cut on her head as a result of being hit several times by a member of the
security forces.
* Hassna Duhei, a human rights activist, who was hit with a
baton all over her body, including her face. Her glasses were smashed on her
face which has left her with many cuts.
* a member of Equipe Media was held by the police and hit in
the face. They confiscated his camera and the money in his pockets.
Dozens of protesters were taken to the regional hospital in
occupied El Aaiun as many were quite severely hurt as a result of the beatings
they had received. Those with less severe injuries were treated in the houses
of other Saharawi citizens.
The use of violence by the police and occupation forces has
provoked increased anger from Saharawi society in social media. The Moroccan authorities
have failed to launch and independent and impartial investigation into the
conduct of the officers. The government continues to use a variety of
different repressive tactics on Saharawi society including harassment,
arbitrary detention, torture and beatings in the street, aimed at those who
support self-determination and express their fundamental human rights.
At the same time Saharawi citizens, many of whom are human
rights defenders or political activists, feel that the risk they face when expressing
their points of view in the Occupied Territories of Western Sahara has risen.
The aim of this action by the occupation forces is to suppress the freedom of
expression and association of peaceful protests.
Despite the deterioration of the situation in the Occupied
Territories and the flagrant abuses of human rights, democratic countries
throughout the world remain silent and refrain from publicly criticising the
Kingdom of Morocco. By remaining silent, the international community, including
the EU and other influential countries, fuels Morocco's attempts to silence
voices in Western Sahara which seek the self determination of the Saharawi
people.
According to international law, the citizens of an occupied
territory can only be imprisoned within their territory, not in that of the
occupying power. Their rights under international laws and treaties must be
respected.
The Moroccan government must offer unrestricted freedom to
all Saharawi political prisoners, given that no real evidence has been found
against them and the trials at which they were sentenced did not meet the
minimum international standards of a fair trial.
