To mark the 34th anniversary of the unlawful occupation of Western Sahara, campaigners will tomorrow (31st October) hold a vigil outside the Moroccan embassy where they will call for an end to the current crackdown on peaceful activists and the release of seven prominent human rights defenders currently awaiting sentence from a military court in Rabat.

The Moroccans invaded the territory on 31st October 1975, just weeks after the International Court of Justice had ruled that Morocco had no territorial claim to Western Sahara. Despite over 100 UN Resolutions reaffirming the Saharawi's right to self-determination, Moroccan has continued its occupation and its exploitation of the territory's abundant natural resources.

The seven arrested advocates belong to a number of human rights organizations and civil society groups and have long track records of monitoring of and reporting on human rights violations in Western Sahara. They were arrested in Casablanca on 8th October after returning from a visit to the refugee camps in the Algerian desert where 165,000 Saharawi's have lived for over three decades. Their detention has been condemned by Amnesty International and there are fears the escalation of repression in the occupied territories might scupper UN-sponsored negotiations planned for the near future.

Stefan Simanowitz, Chair of the Free Western Sahara Network said today;
“For many Halloween is a day of fun, but for the Saharawi people of Western Sahara it is a day to reflect on the iniquity of occupation and the ghosts of those who have fallen in the protracted struggle to liberate Africa's last colony. We call on Morocco to end the current spate of repressive activities, to follow due process and to respect the legal rights of the seven human rights defenders currently in prison. Punitive sentencing of these respected campaigners would inevitably impact on the success of talks planned by UN Special Envoy Christopher Ross.


Photo-call: 1pm – 2pm, 31/10/09
49 Queen’s Gate Garden, London, SW7 5NE (Nearest tube Gloucester Rd)

Visit www.freesahara.ning.com
Visit www.wsahara.org.uk

NOTES
1.Those arrested are:
Ali Salem Tamek, first vice president of the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA) and member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH);
Brahim Dahane, president of the Saharawi Association of Victims of Serious Violations Committed by Morocco (ASVDH);
Ahmad Anasiri, general secretary of the Saharawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Smara and president of AMDH – Smara Chapter;
Dagja Lachgar, member of the executive office of ASVDH;
Yahdih Ettarrouzi, member of AMDH – Laayounne Chapter;
Saleh Lebayhi, president of the Forum for Protection of Sahrawi Children and member of the Laayoune Chapter of CODESA and AMDH;
Rachid Sghayar, member of Committee Action against Torture.