Being done in OUR name!

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Morocco/Western Sahara: New arrests
and allegations of torture of Sahrawi human rights defenders

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Public Statement

AI Index: MDE 29/004/2005 (Public)
News Service No: 207
1 August 2005


Morocco/Western Sahara: New arrests and allegations of torture of
Sahrawi human rights defenders



Amnesty International is concerned about the recent arrest and
detention of six human rights defenders in Western Sahara in the context of
politically charged protests in Laayoune and several other cities in
Morocco and Western Sahara. The organization said it was particularly
disturbed by reports that two of them had been tortured.

Some of those arrested are former ?disappeared?, others are
former prisoners of conscience. All six are long-standing human rights
defenders who have been instrumental in collecting and disseminating
information about human rights violations, including during the policing of
a recent wave of pro-independence demonstrations in the territory of
Western Sahara, which Morocco controversially annexed in 1975.

The rights activists are under investigation for allegedly
participating in or promoting an armed gathering. Amnesty International
fears that they have been targeted because of their human rights work
during recent events or their openly held views in favour of independence
of Western Sahara.

Human rights defenders Mohamed El Moutaouakil, Houssein Lidri,
Brahim Noumria and Larbi Messaoud were arrested by Moroccan security
forces on 20 July. They were reportedly questioned in connection with the
recent unrest and their pro-independence views. On 23 July they were
remanded in custody while a judicial investigation continues. Another
human rights defender, Fdaili Gaoudi, was detained for three days and
released without charge.

Two of the men, Houssein Lidri and Brahim Noumria, were
reportedly tortured by security officers in a secret detention centre in
Laayoune, Western Sahara, on the day of their arrest. They allege that they
were suspended in contorted positions with their hands tied and their
eyes blindfolded, beaten on sensitive parts of the body and that a
chemical substance was poured on them and they were burnt with cigarettes
and open flames. Although both men informed the judicial authorities on
21 July that they had been subjected to torture, no investigation into
these allegations is known to have been opened. Houssein Lidri was
reportedly tortured again for several hours on 22 July.

On the day preceding his arrest, Houssein Lidri had given an
interview to the Arabic satellite television channel, Al-Jazeera, on the
arrest of another human rights activist, Ali Salem Tamek, on 18 July.
Ali Salem Tamek had been arrested upon arrival at Laayoune airport after
an extended stay in Europe where he had spoken publicly of recent
events in Western Sahara and advocated independence for the territory. He
was abroad while the demonstrations occurred, but is also under
investigation with regard to his role in the protests. Another human rights
defender, Aminatou Haidar, has been in detention since 17 June and is
facing trial on charges including violence against public servants on duty
and participation in an armed gathering.

The recent arrests of the six human rights defenders took place
in the context of repression of politically-charged demonstrations,
which began in late May 2005. Reports from independent observers indicate
that most of these demonstrations were peaceful. However, some
demonstrations reportedly turned violent, resulting in material damage and
minor injuries to several security force agents. Moroccan security forces
were accused of using excessive force during the policing of the
protests and of torturing and ill-treating protesters they detained. Amnesty
International wrote to the Moroccan authorities on 21 June to urge them
to investigate these allegations, but has not so far received a
response. Twenty-one protesters have since been sentenced to suspended prison
terms and prison terms of up to 20 years? imprisonment on charges of
formation of a criminal gang, use of weapons, sabotage of public property
and violence against public servants on duty.

Amnesty International fears that the human rights activists
have been arrested, tortured and put on trial because of their reporting
on recent human rights violations. There had been earlier reports that
local human rights defenders and journalists had been assaulted,
harassed or intimidated by officials, and in some cases briefly detained. The
Moroccan authorities also prevented several international delegations,
seeking to investigate what occurred during the unrest, from entering
Western Sahara.

Amnesty International is urging the Moroccan authorities:

- immediately to investigate the allegations that Houssein Lidri and
Brahim Noumria were tortured and ensure they obtain any medical attention
they may require;
- to guarantee the right to a fair trial, including by ensuring that no
statements made under duress will be used to obtain convictions;
- to ensure that any officials found to have ordered, used or condoned
torture are identified and promptly brought to justice;
- to uphold the right of human rights defenders to collect and
disseminate information on human rights violations without fear of reprisals.


Background
Human rights activists in Western Sahara have repeatedly been targeted
for their human rights work in recent years. Some have been prevented
from travelling abroad to report on human rights violations, others have
been arbitrarily imprisoned. In many cases, activities deemed to be
illegal relate to the right peacefully to exercise freedom of opinion and
to disseminate information and views on human rights issues to outside
bodies, such as international human rights organizations.

Most of those arrested were members of the Sahara branch of a
human rights organization, the Forum for Truth and Justice, until it was
dissolved by court order in June 2003 on the grounds that the
organization had undertaken illegal activities that were likely to disturb
public order and undermine the territorial integrity of Morocco. The
activities described as illegal appeared to relate solely to members of the
organization exercising their right to express peacefully their opinions
on self-determination for the Sahrawi people and disseminate views
relating to human rights issues. Although the organisation was dissolved,
they have continued individually to document human rights violations in
Western Sahara.

[NAK__KKK]

it is not done in your name you algerian ....it is done in our name we moroccans and we are happy about it , we ask the governement for more fermity against those $hit bag terrorists , jail them torture them and kill them all in my name , I will only be gratefull and happy about it ....