Upcoming Official Visit of UN Special Rapporteur
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, is set to make her official visit to Morocco from June 8 to June 19, 2026. This visit comes after the initially scheduled mission for March was postponed at the request of the Moroccan government. The initial announcement regarding the visit was made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the original dates planned between March 23 and April 2. However, the Moroccan authorities requested a delay citing organizational challenges arising from the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Following this, Edwards confirmed her commitment to working alongside Moroccan officials to establish new dates for her visit.
Focus on Human Rights in Western Sahara
According to the most current information available, the program for the visit includes one of the phases that has attracted significant interest from Sahrawi human rights organizations: a visit to El Aaiún, the main city in the occupied Western Sahara. During her mission, Alice Jill Edwards plans to meet with government representatives, human rights institutions, legal experts, civil society organizations, as well as families and individuals who may have been victims of violations pertinent to her mandate. The agenda also encompasses visits to detention centers and penitentiary establishments to investigate matters related to the prevention of torture, the conditions of confinement, and the legal guarantees for individuals deprived of their liberty.
This visit holds particular significance concerning Western Sahara. For years, Sahrawi and international human rights organizations have reported restrictions on access for independent observers and international monitoring mechanisms, alongside alleged instances of torture, mistreatment, and violations of fundamental rights against Sahrawi activists. The mission of the Special Rapporteur will be closely monitored by both human rights organizations and the families of Sahrawi political prisoners, especially given the ongoing situation where the United Nations has yet to equip MINURSO with specific competencies for the continuous oversight of human rights in the territory. If the planned schedule remains intact, this visit will mark one of the primary international events related to the human rights situation in Western Sahara in the coming weeks.
As reported by noteolvidesdelsaharaoccidental.org.
