Statement, United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 19 February 2013

Link to UN statement >>

“We are concerned by the use of a military court to try and convict 25 Saharan civilians charged in relation to violence during and after the dismantling of the Gdim Izik protest camp near Laayoune, Western Sahara, in November 2010, when 11 members of the Moroccan security forces and two Saharans were killed.

The 25 civilians were sentenced to between two years and life in prison by the Permanent Military Tribunal of the Royal Armed Forces in Rabat during the night of 16 to 17 February 2013.  (cont.)

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

RFKcenter Comm, January 31, 2013

A public service announcement has been made by Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. Oscar winner Javier Bardem, Kerry Kennedy, and the makers of the film “Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony” join in a campaign to end human rights violations against the people of Western Sahara.

Watch Kerry Kennedy’s  announcement on YouTube >>

Sign petition   Kerry Kennedy and Javier Bardem’s petition calls on President Obama and the UN to ensure there is a  human rights mandate included in the UN Peacekeeping mission in western Sahara.

1 February 2013

“The trial of civilians before a military court does not meet internationally recognized standards for a fair trial. The 24 accused must be brought before a civilian court with all the human rights guarantees that go along with it, and in no event must anyone be sentenced to death.”  (…cont.)
Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa , Fri, 01/02/2013

Read Amnesty report >>

Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA)

Press Release 1 February 2013: Time to set them free
For immediate release

In an open letter to the Moroccan Minister for Justice, the Australia Western Sahara Association called for the release of 25 Saharawi prisoners who have been held illegally for over 2 years without trial.

Today, 1 February 2013, their trial is due to be held in Rabat (local time).  However, this trial has twice been scheduled and postponed.
Continue reading →

Huffpost Arts & Culture, 01/22/2013

By G. Roger Denson, Cultural critic, essayist, novelist and screenwriter published with Parkett and Art in America

“There are few recurring global exhibitions of contemporary art more renown, prestigious and selective than dOCUMENTA, held every five years in Kassal Germany. Which is what makes it so very remarkable that one of the highlights of last year’s dOCUMENTA 13 was the inclusion of a refugee encampment made by what are arguably among the least known people on the face of the earth–the Sahrawi of North Africa…..(cont.)

Read article >>

NTA NewsTime Africa, World News 21 January 2013

by Peter Kenworthy, Africa Contact
“Dr Tannock is not in a position to answer your questions as the report has not been written and dates have not been set yet,” the personal assistant of the recently appointed Special Rapporteur of the European Parliament for Human Rights in Western Sahara, Dr Charles Tannock, wrote in a reply to Africa Contact……

Read article >>

by Peter Kenworthy
NTA NewsTime Africa, 20 January 13, 2013

”When we left our hotel, we discovered that we were being followed by a small army of Moroccan security officers. They obviously did not want the truth about the occupation of Western Sahara to be revealed,” says Danish MEP Søren Søndergaard.(…cont.)

Read article >>

EMAJ Magazine –  an intercultural magazine, made by a network of young journalists from the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and the EU.
Feature, January 04, 2013 | By Ana Isabel Martinez Molina

The international community is failing once again in the matter of Western Sahara, writes author Ana Isabel Martínez Molina. The EU only acts in its interest for fishing rights. Neighboring Morocco indirectly legitimizes the occupation through commercial oil treaties.

150 people disappeared, 10 deaths, 700 injured – This was the final balance reported by the Moroccan Police regarding the dismantlement of Agdaym Izik, the “Camp of Dignity”, in November 2010

Read more >>

Aljazeera, 3 Jan 2013
Laayoune, Western Sahara.   Ruled by Morocco for decades, some say Western Sahara shares commonalities with the occupied Palestinian territories.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has limited jurisdiction and a small staff

…Read full report by Tom Stevenson reporting for Aljazeera.