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HRW asks Hollande to pressurize Morocco to respect human rights in Western Sahara

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New York, April3, 2013 (SPS) - Human Rights Watch called Monday on the French President Mr. François Hollande exert pressure on Morocco to respect human rights in Western Sahara and in Morocco, in a statement published on its website.


Human Rights Watch indicated that Mr. Hollande should raise ongoing human rights concerns in his meetings with Moroccan officials, including torture in detention, unfair military trials, restrictions on free expression rights, and the vulnerability of child domestic workers.


On February 17, a Rabat military court sentenced 25 Sahrawi civilians, including several human rights defenders, to prison terms, nine of them to life in prison, in an unfair trial that should not have gone before a military court, added the statement.


It therefore urged French President to voice concerns about the fairness of the trial of Gdeim Izik prisoners.


The Organization published on Monday a report condemning the Moroccan martial trial against Gdeim Izik group. (SPS)


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