SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

London, 22/06/2005 (SPS) Amnesty international (AI) claimed for the opening of an investigation on tortures committed by Moroccan colonial authorities against Saharawi demonstrators in the occupied territories, who peacefully claimed for their right to self-determination and for the respect of the fundamental liberties.

In a press release publicised Tuesday, AI indicated that it asked the Moroccan Government "to ensure that all reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees held in connection with recent disturbances in Western Sahara are fully and impartially investigated and that all those charged are guaranteed fair trials".

Giving some facts established according to its own local reporters as examples, AI indicated that the demonstrations denounced human rights violations and claimed for the independence of Western Sahara in different protest actions organised between the 24 and 26 and that demonstrators raised Saharawi Arab Democratic Flag.

The organisation said it was "greatly disturbed by reports of torture and excessive use of force by Moroccan security personnel when dispersing Saharawi protestors during demonstrations in El Aaiun and several other cities in Morocco and Western Sahara in late May and early June".

"Security forces used strong arm tactics to disperse" demonstrators using "excessive force, wading into still peaceful demonstrators and beating them with batons, injuring more than a hundred" Saharawi, AI said, adding that many victims needed special medical treatment but "were then reportedly refused medical certificates".

It is vital to the organisation "that any officials found to have ordered, used or condoned torture are identified and promptly brought to justice".

The press release, publicised in the organisation’s web site talks about more than 100 persons arrested during the confrontations, among whom "90 were released without charge after being held for between several hours and several days".

Nonetheless, AI added, around 25 of these victims, some of whose trials begin this week, “were charged with criminal conspiracy, disturbing public order, damaging public property and other offences ".

"Many of those detained allege that they were tortured or ill-treated, either to force them to sign confessions, to intimidate them from protesting further or to punish them for advocating Western Sahara’s independence from Morocco", the press release underlined.

"Beaten with batons, kicked and denounced as “traitors” to Morocco, suspended in contorted positions, having dirty rags placed over the mouth and nose to induce partial suffocation, being urinated upon and being threatened with the insertion of objects into the anus", the organisation said that these are some of the methods of tortures used against the victims.

The organisation finally regretted the fact that “local human rights defenders and journalists had been assaulted, harassed or intimidated by officials, and in some cases briefly detained". It condemned the expulsion by Morocco of Spanish Parliamentary groups who wanted to investigate on human rights in Western Sahara. (SPS)

010/090/666/TRD 210915 June 05 SPS

Logroño (Spain), 21/06/2005 (SPS) Spanish Progressive Lawyers’ Union (UPF- in Spanish) reiterated its support to Saharawi people right to self-determination, recalling Spain of its historical and juridical responsibility in the decolonisation of Western Sahara, indicated a resolution issued by the XXth Congress of the organisation held in Logroño.

"UPF reiterates its unconditional support to Saharawi people’s right to self-determination conforming to the accords between the parties to the conflict within the framework of the UN and of the 1988’s Settlement Plan and conforming to the Pact of Civil and Political Rights of 1966", underlined the resolution.

Recalling the "special responsibility" of Spain in the search of a definitive solution to the conflict in its status "of the former colonial power", the organisation regretted the prolongation of the conflict "far from the international law" doubled by "a harsh repression against the civil population which is getting worse these last period in complete indifference from the international community". (SPS)

010/090/666/TRD 211241 June 05 SPS

SPS
MOROCCO/DEMONSTRATION/INTIFADA/SOLIDARITY
Many wounded persons in a Saharawi demonstration in Assa

Assa (South Morocco), 22/06/2005 (SPS) Many persons were wounded during confrontations that took place Tuesday in Assa between Saharawi demonstrators and Moroccan forces of repression, indicated SPS’s reporter on the ground.

"Saharawi people, straight towards victory and freedom", "no other alternative to self-determination", "Morocco out!", "Independence via peace or struggle", are some of the slogans chanted by hundreds Saharawis this afternoon in the streets of Assa in solidarity with the Intifada of the occupied territories.

Estimated to some 500 agents of the different corps of Moroccan forces, Moroccan authorities intervened to brutally disperse the demonstrators, who faced the attack by batons and tear-gas with a strong resistance.

The source provided the names of two persons so far identified as wounded, Mr. Abderrahmane Ahaba and Mr. Bouregaa Ali, saying that the number may arise, following information given by eye-witnesses who said they saw people fall during the confrontations. (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 222316 June05 SPS

SPS
MOROCCO/DEMONSTRATION/INTIFADA/SOLIDARITY
A Saharawi student kidnapped from a University in Marrakech

Marrakech (South Morocco), 22/06/2005 (SPS) Saharawi student, Raji Mohamed, was kidnapped Tuesday afternoon by Moroccan Special Forces from his residence near the University of Marrakech and taken to an unknown place, his compatriots indicated to SPS.

The latters immediately reacted to the event organising a demonstration outside the university campus, and were dispersed by the police. Going back to the campus, Saharawi students organised a sit-in to denounce the kidnapping and claim for the immediate release of the victim, it was indicated.

Moroccan forces of repression exercise since last May raids in the campuses of Moroccan universities where Saharawi students live. They exercise o them intensive repression and intimidations to push them stop protesting in solidarity with their compatriots in Moroccan universities and in occupied territories of Western Sahara and south Morocco, it should be recalled. (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 222359 June 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/INTIFADA/REPRESSION
Confrontations resumed between Saharawis and Moroccan authorities in El Aaiun

El Aaiun (occupied territory), 22/06/2005 (SPS) Confrontations resumed between Saharawi demonstrators, who were protesting against the imprisonment and torture of Saharawi ex-political prisoner and human rights activist, Mrs. Aminatu Haidar, yesterday evening in El Aaiun in the Skeikima Street in front of the activist’s house, reported SPS’s correspondent on the ground.

Coming from the four sides of the city to express their solidarity with Mrs. Haidar, the demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the release of all Saharawi political prisoners, defining the Moroccan State as a responsible for "Crimes against Humanity" and calling to "decolonisation" of their homeland, the same source added.

Mrs. Aminatu Haidar, was arrested last Friday in the hospital Hassan Bel Mehdi in El Aaiun, where she was getting first medical treatment, after having been brutally beaten in the same afternoon by the Moroccan authorities, following orders by Ichi Abouhassan, Commander of GUS, during a peaceful demonstration organised in the Avenue of Smara in commemoration of the historical Intifada of Zemla (17 June 1970) against the then Spanish colonial presence in Western Sahara.

Last Sunday, and under the orders of the same "bloodthirsty torturer, Ichi Abouhassan, agents of Moroccan police forced the mother and two kids of the political prisoner to leave their house. The pretext advanced was that possible demonstration may be organised in front of the house by sympathisers".

Accused by Moroccan colonial authorities by "insult against national sacred symbols", "constitution of criminal groups", "incitation to rebellion", "destruction of public goods", among other accusation, Mrs. Aminatu was transferred last Sunday to the Carcel Negra (black jail) in El Aaiun in a critical state of health.

Moroccan colonial judicial authorities rejected the prisoner’s claim for an expert opinion by a doctor on her state and the judgement of her Moroccan torturers who brutalised her Friday. (SPS)

060/090/000 222350 June 05 SPS