SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Rabat, 12/07/2006 (SPS) The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), denounced, "the multiple human rights violations in the Western Sahara" and Morocco, in its annual report presented during a press conference organised on Tuesday in Rabat by the President of the Association, Abdelhamid Amin.

Among these violations, the AMDH reports "arbitrary detentions, torture, intrusion in the homes of many citizens, unjust judgment and the abusive use of violence" committed by the Moroccan forces of repression in the occupied territories of the Western Sahara.

The AMDH also denounces "new arrests, for political reasons, against Saharawi militants since last March, including some activists who were sentenced two years imprisonment".

Mr. Amin underlined that his country "is far from been the State of law". He asked for "a reconsideration of the current constitution for the establishment of a State of law in Morocco that respect the human rights".

"Unfortunately, we note that the regime continues to ignore this democratic claim, while we register a serious deterioration" with regard to the respect of the human rights, the report indicated.

"In comparison with other Arab countries, we are far in the rear as far as human rights are concerned. We are in fact in the first rank of the countries that do not respect human rights", Mr. Abdelhamid Amin stressed.

Concerning the work of the State constituted body, IER, in charge of "drawing the light on the serious human rights violations registered in Morocco since its independence", Mr. Amin estimated that the work of this body did not satisfy the Moroccan civil society, especially the Associations of the families of disappearance, and the victims of the King Hassan II period, the report stressed.

According to AMDH, "justice is not established because of the negative position of the IER vis-à-vis the judgment of the torturers", adding that the Official body "is even undertaking an attempt against the right to the memory". (SPS)

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SADR/ALGERIA

Four Saharawi awarded best baccalaureate holders for the year

El Aurassi (Algiers), 12/07/06/2006 (SPS) Four Saharawi students in Algiers were honoured on Tuesday during a ceremony of awards to the best students who succeeded their baccalaureate at the level of the Algerian Capital, which was held in El Aurassi hotel with the presence of representatives of the Algerian Ministry of education, officials and members of the Algerian Committee of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CNASPS) in addition to the parents of the students.

The ceremony, which was organised by the Mayoralty of Algiers, was attended by a Saharawi delegation chaired by the Saharawi first lady and member of the Saharawi Parliament, Mrs. Khadija Hamdi.

The Saharawi students are: Sidati Naama Zein dine, Mohamed Bouda Hamma, El Galia Khatri and Naima Abba el Bachir. (SPS)

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SADR/ALGERIA

The Saharawi Prime Minster attends the departure from Algiers of a humanitarian caravan to the Saharawi refugee camps

Algiers, 12/07/2006 (SPS) The Saharawi Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Oumar, attended on Wednesday the departure of an Algerian humanitarian caravan of solidarity with the Saharawi refugee camps, with the presence of members of the Algerian Committee of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CNASPS) in addition to elected officials from different Algerian communities.

Mr. Abdelkader declared that this caravan, organised by the CNASPS in collaboration with the Algerian civil society, is subscribed within the framework of the solidarity of the Algerian people with their Saharawi brothers.

On his side, the President of the CNASPS, Mohamed Mohriz El Amari, underlined that "the Algerian people wants through this caravan to attract the attention of the international opinion to the tragedy of the Saharawi people, so as to help alleviate the sufferings of this colonised people".

The Caravan, which was also attended by the Saharawi Minister of Interior, Mohamed Lamine Dedi, the President of the Constitutional Council, Mohamed Bouzeid, the Saharawi Ambassador in Algeria, Mohamed yeslem Beissat and other Saharawi cadres, started from the 5 of July Place heading to the Saharawi refugee camps, it was indicated. (SPS)

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SADR/ALGIERS

The President of the Saharawi Constitutional Council received by his Algerian counterpart

Algiers, 12/07/2006 (SPS) The President of the Saharawi Constitutional Council, Mohamed Bouzeid, as received on Tuesday by his Algerian counterpart, Bessaieh, during a visit of courtesy.

The visit of the Saharawi official to the Algerian capital, within the framework of the week of the Saharawi Republic, enabled the Saharawi responsible to visit the Algerian Constitutional Council to "have an idea about the Algerian experience with regard to the constitutional control", indicated a press release by the Algerian Constitutional Council, quoted by the Algerian Press Service, APS. (SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/REPRESSION

Four Saharawi arrested and an ex-political prisoner tortured by the Moroccan forces of occupation

El Aaiun (occupied territories) 12/07/2006 (SPS) Four Saharawi citizens were arrested during a demonstration in the occupied capital of the Western Sahara, El Aaiun, and an ex-political prisoner was "brutally tortured" by the Moroccan forces of occupation in a cross-border post between the Western Sahara ad Mauritania, according to concordant sources.

Ait Abeilou Brahim, Choueir El Heiba and Azman Mohamed were arrested during a demonstration organised by Saharawi citizens on Monday in the "Ali Salem Tamek" Street in the occupied capital of the Western Sahara, and were led to unknown destination, according to their families who asked about their sons in all the police station of the city.

On his part, the Saharawi citizen, Bounnan Ali, was arrested on Tuesday in EL Aaiun by the Moroccan police, which handed him to the Moroccan gendarmerie, according to eyewitnesses.

The man, remains under detention in the headquarters of this Moroccan paramilitary corps, put under torturer according to sources close to his family.

On another hand, the ex-political prisoner, Boumoud Mohamed Salem, is in a "critical State" in Mauritania, after he was submitted to torture by the Moroccan forces, which arrested him at the cross-borders between the Western Sahara and Mauritania before releasing him few hours after in a terrible state without any explanation, it was indicated. (SPS)

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SADR/ALGERIA

An Algerian organisation strongly supports the Saharawi people’s struggle

Algiers, 12/07/2006 (SPS) The Secretary General of the Algerian National Organisation of the Moujahidines (ONM), Said Abadou, declared on Tuesday that his organisation "strongly" supports the Saharawi people’s struggle for their freedom and independence, during a meeting he had with a Saharawi delegation at the seat of the organisation.

Mr. Said also indicated in a statement to the press after the meeting that the "ONM supports the Saharawi people in their just struggle as it supported all just struggles for liberation around the world".

He also called on all democrat forces around the world and lovers of peace and justice to "support the Saharawi people’s right to self/determination that is granted by the international legality", he underlined.

On his side, the Saharawi Prime Minister indicated that the meeting between the two parties has discussed the bilateral relations and the historical ties of friendship and brotherhood betwen the Saharawi and Algerian peoples.

The meeting was attended by the members of the ONM, the President of the Algerian Committee of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CNASPS), in addition to the Saharawi Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Ouma, the Minister of Interior, Mohamed lamine Dedi and the President of the Saharawi Constitutional Council, Mohamed Bouzeid. (SPS

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/REPRESSION

Judgement of five Saharawi political prisoners on Thursday in Agadir

Agadir (south of Morocco), 12/07/2006 (SPS) The Saharawi political prisoners, Tamek Mohamed, Waisi Jerchi, Mansouri Dris, Kajout Brahim and Bachir Najii, actually incarcerated in the Moroccan prison of Inzegan, will appear on Thursday before the Moroccan court of Agadir, according to a reliable source.

The five Saharawi political prisoners were arrested on April the 15th in Assa (South of Morocco) during an event organised by the Moroccan authorities to promote the Moroccan plan of autonomy Rabat is trying to propose for the Western Sahara and which was boycotted by the Saharawi citizens, who raised the Saharawi Republic flags and chanted slogans calling for the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.

It should be further recalled that the judgement of these five Saharawi political prisoners was postponed last June the 29th following the demand of the defence because the Moroccan authorities did not gave the prisoners’ lawyers "the needed time to organised their defence with their client". (SPS)

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