SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed (refugee camp), 04/08/2005 (SPS) A Saharawi Governmental source declared to SPS that the Saharawi Government "fears seriously about the life of Saharawi human rights’ activist, Ali Salem Tamek", who is now in the Moroccan local prison of Aït Melloul after his abduction with another 4 Saharawi political prisoners from their cells in the Carcel Negra (Black Prison) of El Aaiun, last Monday the 1st of August.

Saharawi Government «fears seriously about the life of Saharawi human rights’ activist, Ali Salem Tamek, and 4 other political prisoners, who were abducted by Moroccan colonial services last Monday in very suspicious circumstances", affirmed the same source. It underlined that the activist was localised after the publication by Moroccan official pres agency, MAP, yesterday afternoon, of a dispatch that recognises the transfer of the activist to this new Moroccan prison.

"The dispatch, which clearly recognised that Tamek was transferred against his will, revealed the bad intentions of the Moroccan State which decided to transfer the political prisoner to a psychological clinic to subject him to a brain washing, kill him or damage his mental integrity. Such methods are not strange to Moroccan repressive regime, which is accused of many political assassinations", the source warned.

SADR "calls the international community, the UN and all NGOs of human rights and of solidarity to denounce this act that aims at putting an end to the life of Ali Salem Tamek. It also considers that the Moroccan Government assume all responsibility of what may occur to Tamek and his other compatriots, El Moutawakil, Noumria, Massoud and Lidri", the same source said.

Moroccan Authorities’ press agency, MAP, quoting a statement by the general attorney of the king to the colonial court in El Aaiun, revealed yesterday Moroccan Government’s intention to put the prisoner in a psychiatric clinic.

SPS was also informed that the 4 other political prisoners, who were abducted with Tamek, are currently in Moroccan prison "Oukacha" in Casablanca, according to a release by Moroccan judge in El Aaiun, broadcasted yesterday in Moroccan TV.

In a letter he addressed Wednesday morning to Mr. Kofi Annan, the 4th of its kind, the Head of the State expressed his deep concern about the fate of 5 kidnapped Saharawi political prisoners. He called the UN to immediately intervene, "parting from its responsibility about the territory, as embodied by the presence on the ground of its mission Miniurso, to know and localise the places where the 5 abducted Saharawi persons were transferred".

He also urged the UN to undertake the needed measures to "guarantee the safety" of these victims of "forced ‘disappearance" and to put pressures on Morocco so as to ensure the "immediate and unconditioned release of all Saharawi political prisoners".

Last Monday the 01st of August, Moroccan colonial authorities abducted 5 Saharawi human rights activists, Ali Salem Tamek, Mohamed Elmoutawakil, El Houssein Lidri, Brahim Noumria and Laarbi Massoud, who were detained without judgment in the Black Prison in El Aaiun since the 18th and 20 th of July 2005.

Saharawi Government said to be seriously fearing "about the physical and psychological integrity of the 5 Saharawi political prisoners", who were brutally abducted by Moroccan forces of repression Monday from inside their cells in the Carcel Negra (Black Prison) in El Aaiun and transported without previous warning to their families or lawyers to an unknown destination, declared a Saharawi authorised official source to SPS yesterday (Tuesday 02 August 2005).

On another hand, more than 29 Saharawi political prisoners, detained in the Black Prison in El Aaiun, started Tuesday an unlimited hunger strike to protest against the abduction of their compatriots by the Moroccan authorities of repression.

The hunger strike, which intervenes as a first step in the protest against the abduction of the 5 Saharawi human rights activists, enters in its 3rd consecutive day. (SPS)

060/090/ALG 041233 Août 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/INTIFADA/POLITICAL PRISONERSS
Ali Salem Tamek starts an unlimited hunger strike and denounces Moroccan State’s intention to put him in psychiatric clinic

Ait Melloul, (sout Agadir- Morocco), 04/08/2005 (SPS) Saharawi political prisoner and human rights activist, Ali Salem Tamek, declared Wednesday his intention to start an unlimited hunger strike to denounce Moroccan colonial authorities’ attempts to endanger his physical and mental safety, reported a press release the activist succeeded in getting out of his new cell in the prison of Ait Melloul.

The human rights activist, arrested by Moroccan colonial authorities in the 18th of July upon his return to his country after having spent months in Europe for medical care, called the international community to help him immediately, declaring that he decided to start his hunger strike Today (04 August 2005).

Last Monday the 01st of August, Moroccan colonial authorities abducted 5 Saharawi human rights activists, Ali Salem Tamek, Mohamed Elmoutawakil, El Houssein Lidri, Brahim Noumria and Laarbi Massoud, who were detained without judgment in the Black Prison in El Aaiun since the 18th and 20 the of July 2005.

Saharawi Government said to be seriously fearing "about the physical and psychological integrity of the 5 Saharawi political prisoners", who were brutally abducted by Moroccan forces of repression Monday from inside their cells in the Carcel Negra (Black Prison) in El Aaiun and transported without previous warning to their families or lawyers to an unknown destination, declared a Saharawi authorised official source to SPS yesterday (Tuesday 02 August 2005).

SADR "calls the international community, the UN and all NGOs of human rights and of solidarity to denounce this act that aims at putting an end to the life of Ali Salem Tamek. It also considers that the Moroccan Government assume all responsibility of what may occur to Tamek and his other compatriots, El Moutawakil, Noumria, Massoud and Lidri".

Here is the complete text of the press release, of which SPS received a copy:

Press Release

After my illegal deportation together with the Saharawi human rights activists, Mohamed Elmotaoikil, Brahim Noumria, Elhoucine Lidri, and Larbi Massaoud, on August 01, 2005 from the Black Jail in El Ayun, and the continuous insult and verbal abuse by the Moroccan security services and the Urban Security Group headed by Abderrahim, nicknamed Elbahja,
The Moroccan state has intensified its assault on my physical and mental security by deciding to take me to a mental hospital in Agadir, Morocco on Thursday, August 04, 2005 alleging that I am mentally sick, whereas I suffer from other illnesses like rheumatism, asthma, stomach-ache, heart diseases and other skin illnesses.
Thus, prior to my forcible illegal deportation, I declare my:
1. Strong protest upon my transfer together with the other Saharawi activists in inhuman conditions from El Aaiun to other prisons in Morocco.
2. Going on an open hunger strike starting at 20:00 GMT on Wednesday, August 03, 2005.
3. Charge to the Moroccan authorities of what may threaten my physical or mental health if forcibly deported to a mental hospital.
4. Appeal to the international human rights associations and organizations to interfere immediately to stop this terrible crime that threatens my personal security.

The human rights and trade union activist,
The political prisoner forcibly deported to the local
prison of Ait Melloul, Morocco,
Ali Salem Tamek,
Prison number: 6357". (SPS)

060/090/ALG 041406 Août 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/MOROCCO/INTIFADA/SOLIDARITY
FMVJ claims for the release of Mohamed El Moutawakil and his 4 Saharawi co-detainees

Casablanca (Morocco), 04/08/2005 (SPS) The Executive Bureau of the Moroccan Forum of Truth and Justice (FMVJ- in French) called on the Moroccan authorities to "set Mohammed El Moutawakil free" with 4 other Saharawi political detainees. It criticised the way they were arrested and denounced the torture their Moroccan torturers subjected them to in Casablanca and in El Aaiun, reported a press release publicised Sunday by the Forum.

In its ordinary meeting last July the 30th in the seat of the Forum in Casablanca, the Executive Bureau discussed "the arrest of Mohammed El Moutawakil, member of the Bureau, with other members of the FMVJ and the circumstances of their condemnation and presentation before of the judge" of the :Moroccan colonial authorities. The Forum, on another hand expressed its indignation "about the way with which it was proceeded to their arrest: in the early morning of the 20 /07/2005, in a way that terrorised the member of his (El Moutawakil’s) family, including his children".

The text protested against the search undertaken in the house of the Saharawi political detainee "in his absence, without telling his family or informing it legally of the order to such a proceeding, as well as against the inhuman condition in which the detainees were transferred from the police station in Casablanca to that of El Aaiun". It also "denounced the torture inflicted to Houssein Lidri and Brahim Noumria" claiming for the opening of an investigation on the subject.

The Executive Bureau of the FMVJ "doubts about the consistency of the accusations" against El Moutawakil". It considers that the real motive behind such procedure is no more than "the charges exercised by the latter within the Executive Bureau of the FMVJ, his activities as a human right defender" and his opinions expressed on the Western Sahara question in the Moroccan press..

Last Monday the 01st of August, Moroccan colonial authorities abducted 5 Saharawi human rights activists, Ali Salem Tamek, Mohamed Elmoutawakil, El Houssein Lidri, Brahim Noumria and Laarbi Massoud, who were detained without judgment in the Black Prison in El Aaiun since the 18th and 20 th of July 2005.

Saharawi Government said to be seriously fearing "about the physical and psychological integrity of the 5 Saharawi political prisoners", who were brutally abducted by Moroccan forces of repression Monday from inside their cells in the Carcel Negra (Black Prison) in El Aaiun and transported without previous warning to their families or lawyers to an unknown destination, declared a Saharawi authorised official source to SPS yesterday (Tuesday 02 August 2005).

SADR "calls the international community, the UN and all NGOs of human rights and of solidarity to denounce this act that aims at putting an end to the life of Ali Salem Tamek. It also considers that the Moroccan Government assume all responsibility of what may occur to Tamek and his other compatriots, El Moutawakil, Noumria, Massoud and Lidri".

Saharawi political prisoner and human rights activist, Ali Salem Tamek, declared Wednesday his intention to start an unlimited hunger strike to denounce Moroccan colonial authorities’ attempts to endanger his physical and mental safety, reported a press release the activist succeeded in getting out of his new cell in the prison of Ait Melloul.

On another hand, more than 29 Saharawi political prisoners, detained in the Black Prison in El Aaiun, started Tuesday an unlimited hunger strike to protest against the abduction of their compatriots by the Moroccan authorities of repression.

The hunger strike, which intervenes as a first step in the protest against the abduction of the 5 Saharawi human rights activists, enters in its 3rd consecutive day. (SPS)

060/090/ALG 041924 Août 05 SPS