Bir Lehlou (Sahrawi Republic), 14 October 2026 (SPS) –President of the Sahrawi Republic and Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO, Mr. Brahim Ghali, addressed a letter today to UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, urging him to intervene urgently regarding the critical situation of a group of Sahrawi civilian prisoners in Moroccan jails and to address the legitimate demands of the families of the Sahrawi civilian prisoners who are on a hunger strike.
The President of the Republic and Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO also emphasized the duty of the United Nations to protect the Sahrawis from the repressive, retaliatory practices of the Moroccan occupying state in Occupied Western Sahara—a territory under the direct responsibility of the United Nations, given that Western Sahara remains the last decolonization issue in Africa.
Full text of the letter:
Bir Lehlou, 14 October 2026
H.E. Mr. António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations
New York
Mr. Secretary-General,
In our letter addressed to you on 5 October 2026, we drew your attention, with deep concern and alarm, to the serious situation of a group of Sahrawi civilian prisoners in Moroccan jails. This situation stems from the hunger strike they initiated on 23 September, in legitimate protest against a series of abuses and violations committed against them.
Faced with a lack of response from the Moroccan occupying authorities, a worsening situation, and an absence of information, the families of the civilian prisoners and their supporters organized a peaceful protest on Monday, 12 October 2026, in front of the prison administration headquarters of the occupying state in Rabat.
Once again, the authorities of the Moroccan occupying state have resorted to their characteristic brutal repression, launching a violent crackdown—documented in photographs and videos—against peaceful, unarmed demonstrators simply because they were demanding rights guaranteed by international conventions.
In addition to the varying injuries sustained by the protesters—men and women of all ages—Moroccan repressive forces initiated a wave of arrests targeting, in particular, humanrights activists, students, former detainees, and others.
According to the latest available information, the following individuals remain unjustly detained:
- Hassana Douihi, human rights defender and Vice-President of the Association for the Protection of Sahrawi Prisoners.
- Aziz El-Wahidi, former political prisoner.
- Brahim Babit, student and former political prisoner.
- Salaheddine Essabar, student and former political prisoner.
- Khalid Boufriwa, student.
- Mohamed Lemrabet, student.
- El-Houssein Chihab, student.
Mr. Secretary-General,
In the face of this new situation, we call upon you to intervene urgently to disclose the status of these detainees, ensure their physical and psychological well-being, secure their immediate release, and address the legitimate demands of the families of the Sahrawi civilian prisoners who are on a hunger strike.
In this context, we urgently reiterate the contents of our previous letter, particularly regarding the need to expedite the release of Sahrawi civilian prisoners. We call for ensuring—as a matter of urgent necessity—that all of them, especially those on hunger strike whose condition is becoming increasingly critical, are granted the conditions and safeguards guaranteed by international conventions. This includes, in particular, access to healthcare and communication, as well as their transfer to locations closer to their families’ homes in Occupied Western Sahara.
We also emphasize the duty of the United Nations to protect the Sahrawis from the repressive, retaliatory practices of the Moroccan occupying state in Occupied Western Sahara—a territory under the direct responsibility of the United Nations, given that Western Sahara remains the last decolonization issue in Africa.
I would be grateful if you would bring this letter to the attention of the Members of the Security Council.
Please accept, Mr. Secretary-General, the assurances of my highest consideration. Brahim Ghali
President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO
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