Strasbourg, January 6, 2019 (SPS) - The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said that EU follows closely the situation of the Sahrawi prisoners of Gdeim Ezik group in the Moroccan prisons, underlining that EU expresses regularly its “concerns about the suspected cases of ill treatment and the impunity from which suffered these detainees.
Asked at the European Parliament about the situation of four Sahrawi prisoners of Gdeim Izik group, sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2013 and subjected to continuous periods of isolation and ill treatment, Mogherini affirmed that EU follows closely the situation of Sahrawi detainees in Moroccan prisons.
The four Sahrawi detainees Sidi Abdallah Abbahah, Mohamed Bourial, Mohamed Lamin Haddi and El Bachir Khadda are political prisoners belonging to Gdeim Izik group who were sentenced in 2013 to 20 years improsnment.
They were imprisoned in different Moroccan jails and are now in Tiflet where they are subjected to ill treatment, according to the question asked to Mogherini.
The four prisoners were also isolated for continuous periods without any human contact and deprived from their rights.
The Euro deputies also wondered about the “reason” which allows Morocco to remain immune from an EU’s condemnation while it continues its ill treatment practices towards the Sahrawi prisoners, infringing thereby the most basic human rights.
In its written reply, Mogherini ensured that following the situation of the Sahrawi detainees in the Moroccan prisons includes “the presence of the EU’s delegation in Rabat as an observer in civil proceedings,” adding that representatives of the EU’s delegation meet regularly with the National Human Rights Council to improve health and detention conditions of Gdeim Izik group’s prisoners.” (SPS)
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