Occupied El Aaiún, 24 July 2026 (SPS) – Sahrawi civilian prisoner Naâma Asfari has announced the suspension of his open-ended hunger strike, which lasted 47 days in Kenitra Central Prison, after the Moroccan prison administration opened a dialogue with him regarding his humanitarian and legal demands, according to the Sahrawi Prisoners Protection League in Moroccan Prisons.
In a statement, the League said that the prisoner's family received a telephone call from him on Friday evening via the prison's telephone system. During the call, Asfari informed them that the Moroccan prison authorities had initiated what he described as a serious dialogue in response to the legitimate demands he had raised throughout his protest in defence of his fundamental rights, his dignity, and the dignity of his fellow prisoners.
The statement added that, in light of this development, Asfari decided to suspend his open-ended hunger strike as of today, after 47 days, considering the move part of the ongoing dialogue process and continued efforts to secure the implementation of the demands he had put forward.
The same source noted that Asfari's deteriorating health, resulting from the prolonged hunger strike, prevented him from providing further details during the phone call. He is expected to contact his family again next Monday to update them on the progress of the dialogue and the official response to his demands.
The Sahrawi Prisoners Protection League expressed its satisfaction with the decision to suspend the hunger strike, stressing that the move was taken to safeguard the prisoner's physical well-being. It also praised the steadfastness of Sahrawi civilian prisoners and the sacrifices they have made in the face of what it described as repressive policies inside Moroccan prisons.
The League further commended the broad solidarity shown with Naâma Asfari's campaign by the Sahrawi people, as well as by numerous national and international associations, human rights organisations, and supporters. It said that this wave of human rights advocacy and media attention had contributed to increasing pressure, leading to the opening of a dialogue with the prisoner regarding his demands.
In concluding its statement, the League affirmed that it would continue to monitor the implementation of the commitments made and document any backtracking or delays by the Moroccan prison administration, considering the suspension of the hunger strike to mark a new stage in the ongoing struggle to defend the rights of Sahrawi civilian prisoners.
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