The escalating international human rights demands for accountability concerning the treatment of Sahrawi prisoners are intensifying, particularly in light of the ongoing hunger strike by members of the "Gdeim Izik" group. This situation coincides with the release of a Norwegian human rights report documenting the testimonies of four Sahrawi students regarding torture, isolation, and deprivation of medical care within Moroccan prisons. The human rights landscape has become increasingly urgent as these issues unfold.
In a recent development regarding the "Gdeim Izik" group, both the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organization Against Torture issued a joint statement expressing their grave concern over the open hunger strike initiated by several detainees since September 23. This protest is aimed at highlighting the ongoing injustices of their detention and the degrading conditions they are subjected to in prison. Moreover, they are calling for the implementation of the opinions and recommendations from United Nations mechanisms related to their case, as well as a transfer to prisons in the occupied Sahrawi territories to facilitate contact with their families.
The statement detailed that eight prisoners continue their hunger strike, including notable individuals such as Niama Asfari, Ahmad Al-Sebai, Hassan Dah, and Hussein Zawi. Furthermore, it was noted that the detainee Bashir Khda suspended his hunger strike following his transfer to the local prison in the occupied city of Laayoune. Meanwhile, authorities have moved Niama Asfari to the Loodaya prison in Marrakech and Hussein Zawi to the Ben Guerir prison, while both continue their hunger strikes.
This situation is alarming, not only due to the protracted detention of the group for over sixteen years but also because their demands are tied to specific decisions and opinions from relevant UN mechanisms. Instead of leading to a resolution that ensures the fundamental rights of the detainees, the passage of time has resulted in an urgent need for intervention from human rights organizations and renewed calls for their release, placing the Moroccan authorities under legal and ethical scrutiny.
Human rights concerns extend beyond just the "Gdeim Izik" group. A report published by the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, titled "Sahrawi Students Subjected to Beatings, Isolation, and Denial of Medical Care in Moroccan Prisons," was prepared in collaboration with the National Union of Students in Norway and the legal aid clinic "Jussbuss." This report is based on interviews with four Sahrawi students who were released this year after spending a decade in prison.
The testimonies collected in this report recount experiences of torture during detention and interrogation, threats, and coercion to sign confessions without being allowed to read them. The report highlights issues such as solitary confinement and deprivation of medical treatment, as well as restrictions on family contact. The witnesses reported facing obstacles in continuing their education, indicating that the repercussions of their imprisonment extend far beyond the duration of their sentences, affecting their educational and social futures.
These incidents are attributed to the accounts of the four students: Al-Kentawi Al-Bour, Aziz Al-Wahidi, Abd Al-Mawla Al-Hafidi, and Muhammad Dada, who were arrested in 2016 along with other students, according to the report.
The significance of their testimonies is further underscored by a 2019 opinion issued by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded that their detention and imprisonment were arbitrary and that they had been persecuted on discriminatory grounds due to their political activities and support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. The UN body called for their immediate release; however, these individuals remained imprisoned for additional years until they finally completed their unfair sentences and were released in 2026.
This context places accountability at the forefront of human rights discussions, as it involves not only testimonies regarding prison conditions but also a prior UN assessment of the nature and reasons for their detention. Additionally, the continued restrictions on medical care and family communication—according to the testimonies of former detainees—highlight the responsibilities of the Moroccan occupation concerning the ongoing violations of the rights of Sahrawi detainees. This reflects a policy of repression that infringes upon their most basic human rights, violating the legal guarantees that are meant to protect them from abuse and mistreatment.
The findings of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, as laid out in its opinion No. A/HRC/WGAD/2023/23 regarding members of the "Gdeim Izik" group, delve into the legal basis for their detention and the guarantees of fair trial. The group concluded that their detention was arbitrary and called for necessary measures to address their situation. This document reaffirms that the case of the Sahrawi detainees has undergone direct UN evaluation, and the current human rights demands are rooted in a trajectory that extends beyond solidarity statements to legal opinions issued by UN mechanisms.
As reported by aps.dz.
