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MEPs urges Ashton to intervene to stop military trial against Saharawi political prisoners

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Brussels, January 25, 2012 (SPS) – Twenty nine European Parliamentarians has sent today a letter to The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, calling on her to urgently intervene to stop Morocco's decision  to bring 23 Sahrawi political prisoners, "Group of Gdeim Izik", before a military trial.  

 

MEPs recalled the bloody intervention by the Moroccan army a against Sahaharwi protest camp "Gdeim Izik" on November 08, 2010.

 

“This protest camp was evicted by blood and fire by the Moroccan army, causing dead, dozens injured, missing and prisoners, prompting widespread condemnation from the international community, included the European Parliament ".

 

“For this reason, we, Members of the European Parliament, urge you, in your capacity as EU High Representative, to immediately intervene to stop the decision taken by Moroccan government”, the MEPs wrote to Ashton.

 

“We would like to remind you, once again, to the illegality and immorality to haul civilians before military courts. “They added.

 

MEPs, representing four different parliamentary groups Spain, Portugal, Germany, Cyprus, France, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Italy and Belgium asked , Catherine Ashton "to intervene for the unconditional release of all the Sahrawi political prisoners incarcerated by Morocco.”

 

“We urge you to put pressure on Morocco in order to put an end to the systematic and grave breaches of human rights of the Sahrawi people in the Occupied Territories of Western Sahara.” the letter concludes. (SPS)

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