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Paris,
10/01/2007 (SPS) The Franco-Saharawi Committee for the Respect of
Liberties and Human Rights in the Western Sahara (CORELSO), based in
Paris, demanded on Tuesday the release of its President, Mr. Ennaâma
Asfari, who was arrested in the occupied territories of the Western
Sahara by the "the Moroccan forces of occupation".
Mr. Asfari, jurist, human rights defender in the occupied
territories of the Western Sahara and co-President of the CORELSO,
was arrested on Friday January the 5th while he was
undertaking a family visit accompanied by his wife and
parents-in-law, the Franco-Saharawi committee underlined.
"IN the last period, he was victim to threats and was subjected to
many interpellations by the Moroccan forces of occupation during his
visits to the region", the CORELSO, which is co-chaired by Mrs.
Aline Pailler, journalist in Radio France culture and ex-European
Parliamentarian.
CORELSO recalled that the "Moroccan authorities, which continue to
maintain a black-out on the situation in the occupied territories,
want to intimidate the Saharawi human rights activists, such as
Ennaâma Asfari, to stop the Saharawi people from advocating, in
peaceful ways, their right to self-determination conforming to
international resolutions".
Mr. Asfari, who was incarcerated in the prison of the occupied city
of Smara, was brought before the Moroccan colonial court of first
instance "surrounded by and important group of Moroccan forces of
police, what generated demonstrations to demand his release", the
Committee stressed. His trial was postponed to January the 15.
The Franco-Saharawi association, based in Paris, launched an appeal
to human rights organisations and of support to the Saharawi people
asking them to intervene vis-à-vis the Moroccan authorities and the
Governments of the European Union and to dispatch lawyers to attend
the trial of Mr. Asfari "to ensure his defence and demand his
release".
The Committee declared that it is "determined to continue and
intensify its action for the stopping of the repression in the
occupied territories of the Western Sahara, the release of all the
Saharawi political prisoners and so as the UN organise the
self-determination referendum plane for in the peace plan that will
enable the Saharawi people to decide over their future".
On its part, the French Association of friendship and solidarity
with the people of Africa (AFASPA) described the conditions of
arrest of the Saharawi jurist, whose wife and parents-in-law "were
present at the moment of the police provocation that took place at
the 2nd police post of control at the entry of the city"
of Smara.
According to eyewitnesses, reported by AFASPA, "a superintendent,
who proceeded personally to the control of the Saharawi activist’s
passport, insulted him and later provoked him physically". (SPS)
010/090/700/TRD 101119 JAN 07 SPS
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