Strasbourg 13/12/12
The European Parliament has expressed its concern at the deterioration in the human rights situation in Western Sahara, through an amendment to the annual resolution on Human Rights in the World, approved today.
Commenting on the vote, Dr. Mohamed Sidati, Polisario’s representative for Europe, said, “It is very significant that the European Parliament, as the democratic voice of the European Union – which itself has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize has again called for the fundamental rights of the people of Western Sahara,
including the freedom of association, freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate, to be respected.”
Dr. Sidati added, “In particular, the European Parliament has joined those calling for the complete opening of Western Sahara, illegally occupied by Morocco since 1975, to independent observers. We thank MEPs for calling attention to Moroccos efforts to conceal its human rights abuses in our country.” It is deeply regrettable that there is still no permanent, in-country, human rights monitoring mechanism for Western Sahara. Without the introduction of such a mechanism, Saharawi citizens will continue to suffer at the hands of Moroccos security forces.
The European Parliament called for such an international mechanism to be established. It also demanded the release of all Sahrawi political prisoners currently in Moroccan detention and voiced its support for a settlement of the Western Sahara conflict through the self-determination of the Saharawi people.
Mohamed Sidati
Minister, Representative for Europe
National Secretariat of the Frente POLISARIO
The Resolution
Recalls its resolution of 25 November 2010 on the situation in Western Sahara and of 18 April 2012 on the Annual Report and the European Unions policy on the matter, including implications for the EUs strategic human Rights policy; expresses its concern at the deterioration of human rights in the Western Sahara; calls for the fundamental rights of the people of Western Sahara, including freedom of association, freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate, to be respected; demands the release of all Sahrawi political prisoners; demands the opening of the territory to independent observers, NGOs, and the media; reiterates its support for the establishment of an international mechanism to monitor human rights in the Western Sahara; supports a fair and lasting settlement of the conflict on the basis of the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.