Al-aaiun/Western Sahara: February 17th, 2013
After 9 days of Gdaim izik trial, the military court has sentenced 9 Saharawi political prisoners to life imprisonment and convicted 16 others to 360 years combined.
The trial of 25 Saharawi political prisoners & human rights defenders took place between February 8th and February 16th 2013 in the military court in Rabat/Morocco. Included was also the Saharawi human rights activist Hasanna Aalia, who was condemned in absentia.
This political trial was attended by international observers including Euro Parliamentarians, judges and lawyers from different nationalities, in addition to a group of Embassies’ representatives and journalists. The 11 lawyers who defended the Saharawi political prisoners came from different cities; ‘Agadir, Marrakech, Casablanca and Rabat/Morocco.
All political prisoners denied all the charges against them and confirmed the invalidity of the judicial police’ reports (PV). Some of them stated that they were raped, tortured and mistreated to sign the reports of the judicial police and gendarmerie in Al-aaiun/Western Sahara. The prisoners confirmed that their arrests were due to their political position on the question of Western Sahara and their human rights activities. Nevertheless, the military court issued very cruel and unfair sentences:
Sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia:
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Hasanna Aalia”.
Sentenced to life imprisonment:
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Ibrahil Ismaaili“.
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Sidi Ahmad Lemjayad”.
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Ahmad Sbaai”.
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Abdallah Lekhfaouni”.
· The Saharawi citizen “Abduljalil Laaroussi”; protester in Gdaim Izik and member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Bachir Boutenguiza”; protester in Gdaim Izik and member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi immigrant “Abdallah Abhah”; member of the Saharawi diaspora in Spain.
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Bani”; employed with the Delegation of the Moroccan Ministry of construction in Al-aaiun/Western Sahara.
Sentenced to 30 years imprisonment:
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Naama Asfari”
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Banga Cheikh”
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Dah Hassan”
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Bouryal”; member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
Sentenced to 25 years imprisonment:
The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Mohamed Tahlil”.
· The Saharawi citizen “Elbakay Elarabi”; member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi citizen “Abdallah Toubali”; member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi citizen “Zaoui Lhoucine”; member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi citizen “Daych Edhafi”; member of the committee appointed by Gdaim Izik protesters to negotiate with the Moroccan authorities.
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Mohamed Lamine Haddi”.
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Mbarek Lefkeer”; protester from Gdaim Izik Camp.
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Khouna Babait”; employee in the Wilaya of Al-aaiun.
Sentenced to 20 years imprisonment:
· The Saharawi citizen “Mohamed Alayoubi”; protester from Gdaim Izik Camps who was under temporary release.
· The Saharawi Human Rights Defender “Bachir Khadda”.
Sentenced to 2 years and 3 months – which they have spent in custody:
· The Saharawi citizen “Taqi Machdoufi”; protester from Gdaim Izik Camp.
· The Saharawi activist “Sidi Abdulrahman Zayou”.
The Executive Office of the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders
CODESA
Al-aaiun/Western Sahara: February 17th, 2013