Copenhagen (Denmark) 31 March 2016 (SPS) – The Executive Director of the the Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EuroMed Rights) Mr. Marc Shade-Poulsen has received Thursday Polisario Front Representative to Denmark, Mr. Abba Malainin who briefed him about the critical situation of the 13 Saharawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik group who have been on hunger strike for one month now in Sale Prison near Rabat.
The Saharawi Diplomat voiced the alarming health situation of the Saharawi hunger strikers and the urgency that International Human Rights organisations, Political Parties and States to exert pressure on Morocco’s regime to save the endangered lives, to contribute to free release of the Gdeim Izik group political prisoners and that MINURSO get a mandate of human rights from UN SC to monitor and report about the situation of human rights in occupied Western Sahara.
In Press release issued on 25th, March 2016 by the Euro – Mediterranean Human Rights Network has called for ensuring the respect of international law in Western Sahara and trial in a civilian Court for the Gdeim Izik group.
“EuroMed Rights on 2012 had condemned the unfair trail of the political prisoners of the Gdeim Izik group and their detention conditions. The prisoners could not receive a fair trial, judged on the basis of Article 7 of the Moroccan military justice code even though they are civilians. Our Network said that according to international standards and according to the constitution of Morocco, a military court has no jurisdiction to try civilians. Morocco has since changed its legislation accordingly but those currently on hunger strike did not benefit from it.
In this context, we recommend to Morocco to revise the procedures and sentences taken by military court against these Saharawi demonstrators, they do not have guarantees of independence and impartiality to fair trial according to international law. We call to speed up the appeal in the Cassation Court, which face numerous delays. While the situation of the strikers is deteriorating, we remind Morocco its obligations to protect the health of prisoners. We also encourage Morocco to make every effort to humanize conditions of the prisoners.
In Solidarity with their action, we recall the demands of the Saharawi prisoners on hunger strike who call for:
- Getting transferred to the Laayoune prison, near their families who have been for over 5 years and 1200 km far from them;
- Annulment of the judgement of the military court in Rabat of February 2013;
- Their immediate release following the cancellation of the judgment;
- And finally starting new process before a civilian Court, if necessary, that meets all the necessary guarantees for fair trail.” EuroMed Rights stated in its Press release.
It is worth mentioning that the mission of EuroMed Rights is to promote and strengthen human rights and democratic reform in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
EuroMed Rights has offices in Copenhagen, where its headquarters are based. It also has offices in Brussels,Paris and Tunis (Maghreb Office). EuroMed Rights committed to the promotion and respect of human rights.SPS
125/090