Escalating Human Rights Violations in Occupied Western Sahara
In Boumerdes, Algeria, on August 20, 2026, Sahrawi human rights activists and students have raised serious concerns regarding the alarming rise in systematic violations against Sahrawi civilians residing in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. These activists emphasize that the Moroccan occupation is actively undermining the fundamental freedoms and legitimate rights of the Sahrawi people, which constitutes a blatant infringement of international law and pertinent international conventions. During the 14th edition of the Summer University for Executives of the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi Republic held at M’hamed Bougara University, former political prisoner and human rights defender Abdelmoula Mohamed El Hafidi expressed that the situation in the occupied territories is witnessing a significant escalation in repressive measures carried out by Moroccan occupation forces against the local population.
El Hafidi articulated that the human rights climate in the occupied regions of Western Sahara has long been a glaring exception, characterizing it as the frontline of peaceful resistance against the Moroccan occupation, fought without weapons but with unwavering resolve. He underscored that this nonviolent struggle epitomizes the Sahrawi people's determination to persist in their fight until they achieve their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. In his remarks, he noted that the Moroccan authorities have intensified oppressive practices across all fronts in response to this unwavering spirit, including the curtailment of freedoms, prohibition of peaceful assembly, and the violation of fundamental rights of both Sahrawi political prisoners and civilians incarcerated in Moroccan jails.
Call for International Attention and Action
El Hafidi further highlighted that these oppressive tactics aim to suppress Sahrawis from voicing their established rights to self-determination, freedom, and independence. Concurrently, he pointed out that the occupation imposes a media blackout over the occupied territories, obstructing journalists and international observers from entering and witnessing the dire human rights conditions firsthand. Reflecting on his own experience in Moroccan prisons, where he endured years alongside fellow Sahrawi political prisoners, El Hafidi indicated that his incarceration stemmed solely from his commitment to advocating for his people's freedom and right to self-determination. This personal testimony coincides with a recent finding by the United Nations Committee against Torture, which determined that Morocco had violated the Convention against Torture regarding El Hafidi's detention conditions in Ait Melloul Prison, qualifying them as “degrading treatment.”
Sharing his painful memories, El Hafidi stated, “The price was 10 years of unjust imprisonment, characterized by discrimination, denial of fundamental rights, medical neglect, restricted visitation, and various forms of repression.” Meanwhile, Sahrawi student Mohamed Mouloud Mohamed shed light on the plight of Sahrawi students attending Moroccan universities, emphasizing that their struggles are intrinsically linked to those of their people in the occupied regions. He noted that these students face systemic efforts to erase their identities and silence their voices within academic institutions. Ibrahim Babit, another Sahrawi student and former political prisoner, underscored the specific targeting of Sahrawi students, calling them the “educated group that carries the torch and struggles for the legitimate rights of their people.” He urged the international community to fulfill its responsibilities by exerting pressure on the Moroccan authorities to cease all forms of repression against Sahrawi civilians.
Babit also advocated for the establishment of an independent international mechanism to monitor human rights in Western Sahara, documenting violations to ensure civilian protection and end the cycle of impunity. He emphasized the urgent need to expedite the process of concluding the occupation of what he described as the last colony in Africa, in alignment with international legitimacy. The testimonies provided reflect the growing scope of targeting that encompasses diverse segments of Sahrawi society, including human rights defenders, students, and political prisoners, amidst ongoing restrictions on independent access to the occupied territories. This has ignited renewed calls for international protection for Sahrawi civilians, ensuring their ability to exercise their fundamental rights, particularly the right to self-determination and independence.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
