Parliamentary Push for Human Rights in Western Sahara
The parliamentary spokesperson for the United Left (Izquierda Unida), Enrique Santiago, is spearheading a significant legislative initiative aimed at urging the Spanish Congress to call upon the Moroccan government for the immediate and unconditional release of Naama Asfari and all Sahrawi political prisoners. This proposition is backed by signatures from members of the Plurinational Sumar Group, including Agustín Santos, Tesh Sidi, and Gerardo Pisarello, who emphasize the necessity of advancing diplomatic efforts at both bilateral levels and within the frameworks of the European Union and the United Nations. Their aim is to promote a robust international response that ensures adherence to the 'Mandela Rules' and other pertinent international standards regarding the treatment of Sahrawi political detainees.
Escalating Concerns Over Human Rights Violations
Santiago has voiced serious concerns over the aggravation of systematic repression by the Moroccan regime against the Sahrawi civilian population, particularly those advocating peacefully for the right to self-determination. He aligns with various international organizations and human rights groups that assert the existence of structural practices indicating grave violations of human rights, rather than isolated incidents. A focal point of concern is Naama Asfari, a prominent Sahrawi human rights defender and vice president of the Committee for Liberties and Respect for Human Rights in Western Sahara (CORELSO), who has been imprisoned for over 15 years. International bodies have warned of the imminent risk to his life due to his severely deteriorating health, exacerbated by a lack of independent and immediate medical attention.
Asfari was arrested in November 2010 and remained missing for several days, during which he reported being subjected to severe torture and mistreatment aimed at extracting self-incriminating confessions. Following his initial conviction by a military tribunal, which was later annulled, he was re-sentenced to 30 years in prison by a civilian court in a process devoid of procedural guarantees. In 2023, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Asfari's imprisonment is arbitrary and called for his immediate release, urging Morocco to recognize his right to effective reparations and to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of torture and mistreatment. However, over two years have passed without compliance with this ruling, leading Asfari to initiate an indefinite hunger strike more than a month ago to demand adherence to the UN's decision. This ongoing situation has significantly deteriorated his health and raised alarms from organizations like the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), and Front Line Defenders regarding the continuous decline of his health and the reprisals he faces for peacefully exercising fundamental rights.
Santiago reiterates that Asfari's case is not an isolated one, as numerous Sahrawi political prisoners remain incarcerated in facilities located hundreds, if not over a thousand kilometers away from occupied Western Sahara, in prisons such as Kénitra, Tiflet 2, Ait Melloul, Safi, Bouzakarne, Casablanca, or Tan-Tan. This systematic policy of dispersing Sahrawi detainees adds an additional layer of punishment by distancing them from their families, complicating visits, legal assistance, and monitoring of their health conditions.
Spain bears a historical and political responsibility regarding the decolonization process of Western Sahara and maintains a steadfast commitment to human rights advocacy. Santiago emphasizes the imperative for the Spanish government to take necessary actions, both bilaterally and within the European Union and the United Nations, to demand compliance with international law and resolutions from international human rights protection mechanisms. Consequently, the United Left has facilitated the drafting and registration of a proposition in Congress, urging the government to advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of Naama Asfari and all Sahrawi political prisoners, adhering to Opinion No. 23/2023 from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and other relevant resolutions and recommendations from international human rights mechanisms.
The proposition also includes demands for Asfari to receive immediate independent and specialized medical care, with full access to necessary treatments, and for his family, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to be granted access to the prison where he is held. Furthermore, it formally requests urgent intervention from the United Nations to enable the Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment to visit the penitentiary institutions where Sahrawi political prisoners are incarcerated and assess their detention conditions.
As reported by izquierdaunida.org.
