Paris (France), September 23, 2026 (SPS) – Nine Sahrawi civilian prisoners from the Gdeim Izik group, including human rights defender Naâma Asfari, began an open-ended hunger strike today, Wednesday, in several Moroccan prisons, demanding respect for their rights and the implementation of commitments made to them, according to a statement issued in Paris by the French Association of Friends of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
According to the Association, Naâma Asfari and his eight fellow prisoners, held in prisons in Kenitra, Tiflet and Ait Melloul, decided to resume their protest movement after the commitments announced following their previous hunger strike were not implemented.
The new action comes 46 days after the hunger strike undertaken by Naâma Asfari between June and July 2026. He suspended his strike on July 24 as part of a dialogue with Morocco’s General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, during which commitments were discussed, particularly regarding the transfer of him and his fellow prisoners to prisons closer to their families.
However, the French Association of Friends of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic stated that none of these commitments had been implemented as of September 23, particularly those concerning bringing the prisoners closer to their families and improving conditions for visits and communication.
The Association also reported restrictions on access to healthcare, family visits, telephone communication and correspondence, denouncing what it described as a “deception” in the management of the dialogue initiated with the Moroccan prison administration.
According to the statement, the Sahrawi prisoners are framing their new action as a continuation of their “battle for dignity,” reiterating their rejection of the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara and reaffirming their commitment to the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.
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