BAGNOLET (France), 20 Sept 2015 (SPS) - The French Association of Friendship and Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa (AFASPA) called on French President François Hollande to intervene for the respect of human rights in Morocco and the occupied territories of Western Sahara, during his next visit to Morocco from 19 to 20 September 2015.
“We call you to intervene with the Moroccan authorities to let foreign observers and journalists get to the audience,” said the association while underlining reprisals against human rights activists and Sahrawi and foreign journalists.
“Today and for 18 months the access to the occupied territories of Western Sahara is forbidden by the Moroccan colonial authorities. Over the last few weeks, a lawyer and Spanish elected members, as well as a delegation of the International Trade Union Confederation were prevented from going to al-Ayun to meet with Sahrawi trade unionists that were going to tackle a number of social and economic issues,” according to AFASPA.
The economic reprisals against former political prisoners and Sahrawi human rights activists are added to arrests and tortures endured by peaceful demonstrators because of their position in favour of the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. (SPS)
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