Tanzania, April 25, 2018 (SPS) - the Tanzania Saharawi Solidarity committee (TASSC) has strongly condemned the systematic violation of human rights of the Gdiem Izik group political prisoners, calling on all the human rights defender to do the same, in press release o copy of which received by SPS
The Tanzania Saharawi Solidarity committee has also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Gdiem Izk group and all the prisoners of political conscience held by the Moroccan Authorities, as we do not approve of the trial process through which they were sentenced.
It has appealed the United Nations Organization to heavily sanction the Kingdom of Morocco for the continued violation of human rights and disrespect of international instruments including a number of UN resolutions regarding the question of Western Sahara, demanding the immediate extension of MINURSO’s mandate for the protection of the innocent Saharawi civilian from the barbaric acts of the Moroccan Kingdom.
“We demand the UN special envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Horst Kohler to speed up the re-launched negotiation process for the long awaited referendum to be held and resolve this conflict once and for all. As we offer our full support to the process we remind the Kingdom that if the current negotiation process will be disrupted in any way like it was done in 2012, the Tanzania Saharawi Solidarity committee will not hesitate to support the Saharawi to take up arms and respond violently to the Kingdom of Morocco including but not limited to joining the Saharawi fighters in the battle field.” It adds in its release
The Tanzania Saharawi Solidarity committee called upon the AU member states to abide by the principles of the union and immediate suspend the membership of Morocco for her continued violation of Article 20(1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s rights, and disrespect of all other Union’s instruments.
The Tanzania Saharawi Solidarity Committee will continue to offer its moral and material support to the people of Western Sahara in their struggle for self determination until Sahara and all of Africa is finally free.
It should be recalled that: It is almost a year now since a Moroccan civilian court concluded a sham trial in which the Gdiem Izik group was subjected to a heavy sentence ranging from twenty years to lifetime sentence. Throughout that period these prisoners have been subjected to a number of abuses and constant harassment which include but not limited to; Confinement in small cells with no good hygienic condition popularly known as coffins, denied access to healthcare, and above all, denied access to their family members by being incarcerated in the Moroccan prisons which are far from their homes.
Responding to such tortures, the prisoners decided to wage a hunger strike to demand respect of their rights as guaranteed by various international instruments. However, it is very sad to note that, despite the prisoner’s worsened condition, and the international community’s outcry, the Moroccan Authorities have not done a thing to rectify the situation. SPS
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