Y.Lamine Baali, Polisario representative in UK and Ireland asks to contribute in saving lives of 36 (so far) Saharawi human right activists, in different Moroccan prisons: 6 Sale / 19 in Tiznit / Taroudant 2 / Kenitra 2 / Bin Sliman 1 / Marrakech 3 in Morocco as well as 03 detainees in Black prison in occupied Laaiun Western Sahara.

Hunger strike since 18 March
Six of the Sale-imprisoned ‘Casablanca 7’ (one is very ill) began their hunger strikes from 18 March 2009 in protest of their indefinite imprisonment and lack of clear charges. These are Ali Salem Tamek, Brahim Dahane (pictures in the right top corner), Yehdih Ettarrouzi (picture below), Ahmed Naciri (picture above), Saleh Labaihi and Rachid Sghayer (picture on the right).

Their were arrested and detained, on the 8th October 2010, at their return from a family visit to the Saharawi refugees camps in south West of Algeria. The Moroccan Government intends to bring them before a military court on account of that trip.

“Consequently their health is seriously deteriorating day after day, a tragic outcome of such situation might occur at any time. Along side of their suffer from chronic illness resulting from many years that they have spent in Moroccan detention centers and the hunger strike that they have staged before. They are deprived from all their rights”, says Y.Lamine Baali.

Poor health condition
Detailed medical information from the hunger-strike monitoring groups highlights the critical symptoms experienced by the hunger strikers as loss of consciousness, fatigue, migraines, asthma, acute cardiac and intestinal pain, asthma, vomiting and diarrhoea. Blood pressure and sugar levels are reported as decreasing alarmingly, with growing kidney, liver and gallbladder complications.

The Saharawi Lawyers Association has also reported cases of neglect by Moroccan prison administrations, lack of proper medical assistance from prison clinics and staff, and Saharawi prisoner Hassan Abdullah in Bin Sliman is said to have been severely beaten by Moroccan prisoners at the incitement of prison staff.

Marocco above international law?
According to Y.Lamine Baali, International community has to act and assume it responsibly in particular EU and member of UN Security Council. After 35 years of this long conflict the least the Saharawi people can see in place after the long standing promise of decolonization of Western Sahara, an UN proper mechanism for monitoring human rights situation in the territory, MINURSO must not be an exception of the rule – All UN missions through out the world have the mandate of monitoring human rights.

“Morocco cannot be all time above the international law and most of all the respect of human rights. And must not be shield from its moral political obligations“, said Y.Lamine Baali.

Related links:

Sahrawis dissatisfied with UN chief and peacekeeping mission MINURSO

Polisario Front calls on UN to supervise human rights in territories under its control