Health Emergency for Sahrawi Civilian Prisoner
On July 8, 2026, the Sahrawi National Human Rights Committee, known as CONASADH, publicly condemned the Moroccan authorities, holding them entirely accountable for the deteriorating health of Naâma Asfari, a Sahrawi civilian prisoner currently engaged in a hunger strike. The committee issued a statement underscoring that Asfari's life is now at imminent risk, emphasizing that the occupying Moroccan authorities have shown a reckless disregard for his legitimate demands. Among these demands is the urgent implementation of Opinion No. 23/2023 from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which calls for Asfari's immediate release along with other members of the Gdeim Izik Group.
International Appeal for Human Rights
Given the gravity of the situation, CONASADH has called upon the international community—especially the United Nations—to take immediate measures to ensure that Naâma Asfari receives the necessary independent medical treatment. Furthermore, they are advocating for the Sahrawi prisoners to be relocated to prisons closer to their families in Western Sahara, pending their release. The committee has also urged for an end to the solitary confinement of these prisoners, and has requested that the International Committee of the Red Cross and relevant UN Special Rapporteurs be granted access to visit them. Additionally, it is crucial that lawyers and family members are allowed regular visitation rights.
CONASADH has expressed unwavering solidarity with all Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan custody, particularly highlighting the members of the Gdeim Izik Group, who have initiated an open-ended hunger strike in solidarity with Naâma Asfari. The committee is committed to bringing to light the severe human rights abuses these individuals face and is urging the global community to fulfill its responsibilities. The statement directed a poignant appeal to various international bodies, including the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, and prominent human rights organizations, urging them to intervene decisively to safeguard Asfari's life and press the Moroccan authorities to release all Sahrawi political prisoners. It also called for independent international monitors to be granted access to Moroccan prisons and for adherence to UN resolutions that recognize the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
