Naama Asfari Protests Against Human Rights Violations
In a significant act of resistance, Naama Asfari, a Sahrawi political prisoner affiliated with the Gdeim Izik group, has initiated a 48-hour hunger strike while being held at Kenitra prison in Morocco. This protest, which commenced on Tuesday, underscores Asfari's opposition to the persistent violations inflicted upon Sahrawi political prisoners by Moroccan authorities, along with Morocco's failure to heed the recommendations put forth by United Nations human rights mechanisms. This marks Asfari's third hunger strike in less than a month, highlighting the escalating urgency of the situation.
The timing of this hunger strike coincides with the recent findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which, in its Opinion No. 23/2023, has explicitly denounced the arbitrary detention of the Gdeim Izik prisoners. The UN body has called for their immediate release and appropriate compensation, further emphasizing the international community's growing concern regarding the treatment of these detainees.
Reports from Sahrawi human rights organizations indicate that Moroccan authorities have consistently disregarded international appeals for justice, maintaining Sahrawi prisoners under deplorable detention conditions that have drawn condemnation from numerous non-governmental organizations and UN bodies alike. In response to these egregious human rights violations, the Association of Friends of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (AARASD) has issued a call to action directed at the international community, urging human rights organizations and the United Nations to exert pressure on Morocco to fulfill its international obligations and put an end to the abuses targeting Sahrawi political prisoners.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
