Berlin (Germany), 7 October 2026 (SPS) – The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH) has called on the Moroccan authorities and relevant international institutions to take immediate measures to protect the lives and health of nine Sahrawi political prisoners from the Gdeim Izik group, who have been on open-ended hunger strike since 23 September.
In a statement issued this week, ELDH called for the implementation of the findings and recommendations adopted by UN human rights mechanisms concerning the prisoners, including their transfer to prisons in Western Sahara, adequate medical care, respect for their rights to communicate with their families and lawyers, protection from reprisals, and effective international monitoring and humanitarian access.
The association said the current hunger strike must be viewed in the context of a longstanding and internationally documented record concerning the Gdeim Izik prisoners, including allegations and findings related to torture and ill-treatment, forced confessions, detention conditions, solitary confinement, inadequate medical care and severe restrictions on family contact.
ELDH referred in particular to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's finding that the detention of 18 members of the group was arbitrary, and its call for their immediate release, appropriate remedies and compensation, and an independent investigation. It also noted repeated consideration of individual cases by the UN Committee against Torture, including recommendations concerning detention closer to prisoners' families.
The association stressed that the current situation requires concrete action rather than expressions of concern, including independent medical care, protection against intimidation and reprisals, regular access to families, lawyers and independent doctors, and specific information on the implementation of UN recommendations.
Regarding the prisoners' demand for transfer to Western Sahara, ELDH said the issue should also be considered within the framework of international law and the UN framework concerning the status of the territory and the right to self-determination. It referred to Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, insofar as applicable, and the Nelson Mandela Rules concerning the detention of prisoners close to their families and the maintenance of family contact.
ELDH further called for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be granted access to the prisoners, including private interviews and visits to detention facilities, and urged the United Nations to strengthen independent monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in Western Sahara.
The association also called on the European Union, the European External Action Service and the European Parliament to raise the issue with the Moroccan authorities and use available diplomatic and parliamentary channels to strengthen the protection of the prisoners.
ELDH concluded that the current hunger strike is the latest manifestation of a longstanding and internationally documented situation and called for effective implementation of existing international findings, independent monitoring and concrete protection for the Sahrawi prisoners.
Related blogs
