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Kampala (Uganda) Feb 19, 2013(SPS) Sahrawi delegation composed of Mr. Mohamed Nafaa Mustafa Permanent Secretary of State Secretariat of Documentation and Security and Mr. Mohamed Salem Dakhni ,is participating in the Continental Experts Consultation Meeting organized by the African Union in Kampala, Uganda,  under the theme “Identify Priority Programmes and intervention for improving drug demand reduction efforts in Africa” according to the Saharawi Embassy to Uganda.
 

Smara (Saharawi refugee camps), February 19, 2012 (SPS) President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front Mohamed Abdelaziz, has expressed strong condemnation on the "unjust and cruel" verdicts against the   Sahrawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik group, as indicated in his letter read on Monday before Forum organized by the national Union of Sahrawi Women in Smara on occasion of the commemoration of the national day of Saharawi mother.
 

Paris(France)Feb19,2013(SPS)  – France supports "for a long time" the looking for a "just, lasting and mutually acceptable” solution “under the auspices of the United Nations and in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council on Western Sahara," spokesman of the Quai d'Orsay Philip Elliot said Monday.
 

The spokesman of the Quai d'Orsay said in a press briefing that "France also supports the efforts of Christopher Ross, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to continue the negotiations between the parties."
 

Algiers, Feb 18, 2013 (SPS) - The Ambassador in Algiers Mr. Brahim Ghali denounced Sunday the “arbitrary” verdict pronounced by Rabat martial court against the 24 Sahrawi political detainees of Gdeim Izik, considering it an “evidence of the failure of occupation’s policy and imminence of the Saharawi people’s victory.”

London, Feb 18, 2013 (SPS) - Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa Phillip Luther said Sunday that the trial of the 24 Saharawi activists in Moroccan martial court “does not meet the internationally recognized standards of a fair trial.”

Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 18, 2013 (SPS) - National Secretariat of the POLISARIO Front described the sentences pronounced against Gdeim Izik prisoners as “a provocative and escalatory step” by Moroccan government, highlighting, in a statement concluded its emergency meeting on Sunday, that it is a blow to efforts of the UN and does not contribute to create the appropriate atmosphere for reaching a political settlement.

Rabat, Feb 17, 2013 (SPS) - The Moroccan military court of Rabat issued Saturday night to Sunday unfair sentences against the 24 Saharawi political prisoners, known as Gdeim Izik group, ranging from two years to life in prison, informed the Saharawi activist Al-Mami Amar Salem from outside of Rabat military court.

Cairo, Feb 16, 2013 (SPS) - A group of Saharawi students, currently study in the Arab Republic of Egypt, organized after Friday Prayer a sit-in, in which they denounced the Moroccan military trial, underway for the eighth day, of the 24 Saharawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik.


The sit-in, which organized at Tahrir Square in the capital Cairo, was attended by dozens of Egyptian citizens who refuse the confiscation of the Arab human’s right to freedom and expression.

Pretoria, Feb 16, 2013 (SPS) - President of the Republic of South Africa Mr. Jacob Zuma has reiterated his country’s firm position in favour of the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, in the state of the nation address on the occasion of the joint sitting of parliament.

DF (Mexico), February 14, 2013 (SPS) The International Relations Department of the Mexican  Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) expressed its full solidarity with the just cause of the Saharawi people, reiterating its  commitment and willingness to work for the rights and dignity of Sahrawis, in a letter sent recently to the Saharawi Ambassador  in Mexico.
 

Rabat (Morocco) Feb13,2013(SPS) - The military court of Rabat (Morocco) finished Tuesday evening the hearing of the 24 Sahrawi political prisoners as part of the trial of the “Gdeim Izik group”, which started on February 1st, judicial sources said.
 

At the end of these hearings, the defense lawyers asked for a medical expertise following the prisoners’ affirmations reporting “inhuman” treatments in detention, the same source added.
 

 Oslo (Norway) Feb13,2013(SPS) “The UN’s special delegate for Western Sahara, the American Christopher Ross, has initiated an international tour to mobilize support for the further negotiations on Western Sahara. He had conversations last week both in Washington and Moscow.” writes the Norwegian Paper Aftenposten, in an article published in Feb 4, 2013.
 

Madrid, Feb13, 2013(SPS) the Spanish Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs, Gonzalo de Benito, on Monday reiterated the support of the Spanish rolling Government to the efforts of the UN Secretary general’s personal envoy Christopher Ross to reach a just ,lasting and mutually acceptable  political solution which guarantees self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
     

Rabat (Morocco) Feb13,2013(SPS) -  The Sahrawi prisoners auditioned Monday by the military court of Rabat as part of the trial of "Gdeim Izik group" have categorically denied the charges against them, affirming that their activities consisted only of peaceful political action for Western Sahara people rights.
 

Algiers, Feb 11, 2013 (SPS) - The Sahrawi Minister of Culture Khadidja Hamdi denounced Sunday in Algiers the "media blackout" imposed by the Moroccan authorities during the trial of 24 Sahrawi political prisoners, for a couple of days in Rabat, dubbing it "illegal" and "unfair."
 

June 9th School (refugee camps), Feb 11, 2013 (SPS) - The Saharawi National Council (parliament) follows with great concern phases of the unfair military trial of 24 Saharawi political prisoners, known as Gdeim Izik group, which opened on Friday.


The Council condemned, in a statement issued Sunday on the sidelines of its autumn session, the arrest and bringing this group to a military court, considering that putting them in prison for more than two years “is another crime against them Moroccan regime should be held accountable for.”

Rabat, Feb 11, 2013 (SPS) - The trial of the 24 Sahrawi political prisoners, also known as “Group of Gdeim Izik” continues before Rabat military court with the hearing of the defendants, including five of them who were heard Saturday, according to judicial sources.

Brussels, Feb 10, 2013 (SPS) - European Parliament voiced, in a motion submitted Saturday to the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council, concern over the continued violatins of human rights in Western Sahara.


“Given the continued violations of human rights in Western Sahara, the European Parliament expresses concern and calls for protection of the basic rights of the Saharawi population, including the freedoms of association and expression as well as the right to demonstrate,” stated the motion.

The Hague (Netherlands), Feb 10, 2013 (SPS) - The Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Frans Timmermans has stressed, in a response to questions addressed to him by the Dutch parliament, the need to respect international law regarding the fisheries agreement between European Union and Morocco.


Mr. Timmermans said that Western Sahara is a non-autonomous territory whose population has not yet decided their fate, highlighting in this regard that any agreement “must benefit the indigenous population.”

Rabat, Feb 10, 2013 (SPS) - The Sahrawis 24 prisoners or " Gdeim Izik group" refused Saturday in Rabat to be considered as common law detainees, insisting on their right to be treated as political militants and human rights defenders.


"We are not criminals, but political prisoners and consider our appearing before the military tribunal as a political trial," said militant Ennaama Asfari at the hearing of the accused by the court, at the trial, which opened on February 1.