Western Sahara News

El Aaiún, 14 February 2014 Mohamed Lamin Haidala is a Saharawi. Born in 1994, he lived with his mother in the home of his grandparents in El Aaiún, in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. He died on 8 February 2015, a week after being attacked by 5 Moroccans and then held injured in police custody at the Moroccan police prefecture in occupied El Aaiún. His family is now under Moroccan police surveillance and forbidden to receive the visit of journalists. Those who tried to visit the family, on the evening of February 12, were greeted by stone throwing and beaten with batons and had to flee. According to several witnesses, on the evening of 30 January, Raja Haddi, aged 21, Mohamed Lamin’s aunt was sexually harassed on the street by Abdelwahab Kakaoui. This one was accompanied by another young Moroccan, Belaid Oumka Benomar. Mohamed Lamin, who was next to the house, intervened to request the first one to stop and to respect his aunt. Both Moroccans attacked him ...

By: Anouar Malek in Brussels  A confidential document issued by Morocco’s royal palaces department showed secrets related to the kingdom of Mohamed the Sixth who targeted Algeria. The document was issued on June 19th, 2014. It was addressed to the general department of national territory surveillance, general intelligence department (general administration) and military security department in Morocco. “Our neighbor King” spies on Algerians The number of this document is: Ref 3429/14 and it is untitled ‘An order for execution.’ It starts saying: “upon request from His Majesty and under direct supervision from security affairs advisor of His Majesty (…).” This shows that the “order for execution” was issued by King Mohamed the Sixth in person who ordered to keep watch on “Algerian personalities on the Moroccan national territory.” Algerian diplomatic residences under permanent surveillance King Mohamed the Sixth also ordered to tap their phone calls a...

From Brussels: Anouar Malek/English version: Dalila Henache A very dangerous secret document secret that was leaked by the Moroccan intelligence service, revealed on a clear cooperation between Moroccan regime and the terrorist organization "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb" through a coordination that reaches a secret meeting that brought the leader of armed bloody organization, "Abdelmalek Droudkel" together with officers in the service of controlling the national soil in the Kingdom of Morocco, in the Mauritanian soil. Leaked document, which dangerous details are revealed by Echorouk, is a correspondence that was dated on May,17, 2011, carrying the number 8460/11, and that is addressed to the adviser of Moroccan King Mohammed VI in security affairs.  It explores how the Moroccan intelligence service tried to revive the terrorist activity in the Algerian territory, through the provision of "high patronage" to the leadership of the terro...

The Saharawi Tea Ceremony “Salam Aliukum,” she said With a smile as she greeted her guests She got up to reach for her tea set Offering the warmest of hospitality As she sat to get the tea ready Her warmness filled the room  With her colorful Melfaha and hands dipped in henna She is the leader of them all The beauty of beauty She represents the strength of every Saharawi woman She is the mother of the nation who’s history  She has engraved in her heart As she got ready for the sacred tea ceremony She turned to her guests with the following question; “Do you know the meaning of each round of tea?” They responded, “No, but please enlighten us with your wisdom.” She took the first small glass and filled it with black tea leaves, and then responded with seriousness, “The first round is bitter like life. When that bitterness hits us we must search for courage and strength, so we can overcome each obstacle with g...

The history of Mohamed Fadel Leili sadly is the history of a whole nation condemned to live under a brutal occupation of their homeland. Mohamed Fadel Leili, is Saharawi lawyer: "I continue with my promise to defend Saharawi suffering torture " Nobody else can understand better his clients: the Saharawi political prisoners. This lawyer, who was kidnapped for 16 years develops its professional activity in an occupied state, Western Sahara.  Mohamed Fadel Leili graduated in law after suffering forced disappearance in secret prisons along with his entire family. After his release, he returned to his life at the same point where they stole it from him and completed his studies. Currently, he completed his PhD in International Law, specializing in border conflicts in Africa before the International Court of The Hague. Today he had a hard day at work but, despite this, his shirt has no a single wrinkle and he keep a wise smile. He has just returned ...

My name is Isabel Maria Gonçalves da Silva Tavares Lourenço, I have Portuguese nationality, and am a member of Fundación Sahara Occidental and Adala UK. I visited Western Sahara and Morocco with an accreditation of Fundación Sahara Occidental as international observer and with a mandate from Adala UK. The goal of the visit was to attend as an international observer the judicial appeals of the Saharawi political prisoners Mr. Abdelmotalib Sarir, Mr. Mohamed Barber and Mr. Alyien Moussaoui on the 28th of October 2014 in Laayoune’s court of appeal, and that of Mr. Abdallahi Boukioud on 3rd of November 2014 in Agadir. A second goal was to observe the situation in Laayoune as well as talking to several Saharawi NGOs and families of political prisoners. During the week of 28th October to 2nd November 2014 I stayed in Laayoune city and interviewed and contacted several Saharawi human rights associations, committees and activists as well associations for the defence of n...

My name is Raabub Mohamed Lamin Mehdi, I am Medical Specialist in Internal Medicine, I perform the function of deputy in Osakidetza (Servicio Vasco de Salud), Collegiate number: 011 304 807, of Spanish nationality , ID number 06287946E  Through this letter I want to express my concern with the health of the patient Sidi Abdejalil Laaroussi, prisoner number 78608, Saharawi political prisoner, detained in prison Salé1, Rabat in Morocco, that has conveyed to me his situation  Personal history:  Apparently healthy, sporty and non-smoking, married with 2 children, had no complaints prior to his arrest.  After his arrest he was tortured on several occasions, these torture includes violent blows throughout the body, legs and knees causing rupture of ligaments, inhalation of chemicals causing problems to his eyes, blows in the lumbar area, was for more than 4 days naked blindfolded and handcuffed, forced to sleep on his own excrement, suspended from a wood...