Does France supports self-determination - in Western Sahara?

Human Rights Watch asks French President Francois Hollande to pressurize Morocco to respect human rights in Western Sahara

New York, April 3, 2013 (Sahara Press Service) - Human Rights Watch called Monday on the French President Mr. François Hollande exert pressure on Morocco to respect human rights in Western Sahara and in Morocco, in a statement published on its website.

Human Rights Watch indicated that Mr. Hollande should raise ongoing human rights concerns in his meetings with Moroccan officials, including torture in detention, unfair military trials, restrictions on free expression rights, and the vulnerability of child domestic workers.

On February 17, a Rabat military court sentenced 25 Sahrawi civilians, including several human rights defenders, to prison terms, nine of them to life in prison, in an unfair trial that should not have gone before a military court, added the statement.

It therefore urged French President to voice concerns about the fairness of the trial of Gdeim Izik prisoners.

The Organization published on Monday a report condemning the Moroccan martial trial against Gdeim Izik group. (SPS)

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Council of Ministers urges Hollande to convince Morocco to stop violating Saharawi human rights

 

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), April 3, 2013 (Sahara Press Service) - The Council of Ministers urged Tuesday the French President François Hollande, on the occasion of his upcoming visit Morocco, to convince Moroccan party to stop its gross violations of Saharawi human rights, in a statement concluded a meeting on Tuesday chaired by the President of the Republic Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz.

The Council called on Moroccan party to comply with international legitimacy for the decolonization of Western Sahara, through the just and democratic solution which is to enable the Saharawi people of his inalienable right to self-determination and independence, through free, just and impartial referendum supervised by the UN.

It hailed the struggle of Saharawi masses in occupied territories, in south Morocco and university sites, condemning the unjust trial against Gdeim Izik heroes, and calling for their immediate release along with all the Saharawi political prisoners.

The Council strongly condemned and deplored the continued campaigns of repressions carried out by Moroccan occupation forces against the defenseless Saharawi civilians, especially women, stressing the need for the UN to assume responsibility in accelerating the establishment of a UN mechanism to protect, monitor and report about human rights in Western Sahara.

It therefore expressed satisfaction for the outstanding presence of Saharawi cause and for the solidarity and sympathy with Saharawi people that have been expressed at the World Social Forum, hosted by Tunisia late March.

On other hand, the Council decided to refer a number of conventions and treaties of the African Union, in addition to a bill to regulate and protect public property and environment protection law, to the next session of the National Council (Parliament). (SPS)