Skip to main content

International Collective of Lawyers in Support of Gdeim Izik Group Prisoners Calls on French PM to Protect Sahrawi Political Prisoners from Physical Torture and Ill-Treatment

Submitted on

Paris, France, Nov 16, 2017 (SPS) - The International Collective of Lawyers in Support of Political Prisoners of the Gdeim Izik Group has sent a letter to French Prime Minister Edward Philippe and his accompanying ministerial delegation at the meeting, on the basis of what you call "the context of the exceptional friendship relationship between France and Morocco.
 
The state of health of several of them is very worrying, in particular because they no longer receive medical treatments adapted to their pathologies: heart disease, kidney disease, hypertension, severe asthma, as well as multiple pathologies resulting from the torture they have undergone (rectorragy, pain in the soles of the feet, hypersensitivity of the eyes). Adds the collective in its letter
The International Lawyers’ collective pointed out that Currently the Prisoners are still subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment by Moroccan prison guards. Many of them are now detained with violent prisoners and fear for their lives - we are wondering about the reasons for this sudden detention with extremely violent criminals.
 
It also reminded Prime Minister, that the Kingdom of Morocco has been condemned by the UN Committee against Torture for torturing and convicting Mr. Naama ASFARI, (one of the nineteen prisoners) on the basis of confessions obtained under torture, noting  that Mrs. Claude MANGIN, Mr. ASFARI's wife, is a French national who has been refused access to the territory of Morocco for 1 year and a half, while her husband has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. The Kingdom of Morocco is thus constantly and seriously undermining the right to a private and family life.
That on this occasion, you will remind the Kingdom of Morocco of the imperative need to grant Saharawi political prisoners, dignified treatment and respect of human rights, to protect them from any form of torture and inhuman treatment, and to ensure that they have effective access to the medical treatments they need to survive. Collective’s letter calls French PM.SPS
 
125/090