Skip to main content

AMDH: Moroccan forces impose tight security siege on El Aaiun

Submitted on

El Aaiun (occupied territories), Feb 24, 2013 (SPS) - Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), El Aaiun branch, said that the occupied city of El Aaiun witnesses tight security, police and military siege since the beginning of the martial trial of Gdeim izik prisoners, informed the Association in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The statement added that the streets, neighborhoods and educational institutions of El Aaiun were full of Moroccan occupation forces, both official and secret apparatus.
The Association noted that security and media blackout has been increased in the aftermath of the heavy military sentences issued against the Saharawi activists, causing a state of horror among Saharawi civilians.
Moroccan authorities stopped some passers, the thing which arose resentment and indignation of citizens and drove them to enter into self-defense clashes with Moroccan occupation forces, according to the same source.
On other hand, AMDH strongly denounced the trying of civilian detainees before a martial court, which is considered an exceptional judiciary does not provide the conditions of a fair trial.
It therefore said the sentences against Gdeim Izik detainees were harsh, describing it as the “retaliatory and restraining” judgments that aim at influencing the political positions of the detainees concerning the conflict of Western Sahara.
The Association considered that the trial of Gdeim Izik group a military trial for the Saharawi political opinion, which is contrary to the international conventions on human rights related to ensuring the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and therefore requires the cancellation of the judgments issued against them and release them unconditionally.
It also called for opening an impartial, neutral and objective investigation into all of the events associated with Gdeim Izik camp, under the supervision of an independent body.
The statement condemned the hateful media, propaganda, chauvinist and racist campaigns have targeted Saharawi citizens since the dismantling of Gdeim Izik camp, denouncing Moroccan state continuation to impose security and military siege on the cities of Western Sahara. (SPS)
090/089/TRA