Since the withdrawal of the colonial forces of Spain in 1975, the Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco, in complete illegality as confirmed by the International Court of Justice, the UN and the African Union. No country in the world recognizes the Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, territory considered as non-autonomous under the tutelage of the UN. Since 1991, negotiations have been conducted under the aegis of the UN between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front, so far without reaching any conclusion. Morocco follows a policy of occupation and unilateral annexation of the territory, accompanied by a continuous undermining of the efforts of the international community. At the same time, Morocco continues with a policy of repression against the Sahrawi population. Those defending human rights are particularly harassed; there are 83 Sahrawi political prisoners, several of whom were detained without a trial or were judged by military tribunals. Refusing to apply international resolutions, Morocco constrains the rights of the Sahrawi people, creating serious threats to peace and stability in the Maghreb region. We demand: - the early implementation of a referendum for self-determination that allows the Sahrawi people to freely decide their future; - the release of all Sahrawi political prisoners, respect of the fundamental freedoms in Western Sahara and an end to repression; - the establishment of an international mechanism for the supervision of human rights in Western Sahara; - a halt to the exploitation of natural resources in Western Sahara, which is illegal under international law. It is time to find a solution to the Western Sahara question; a solution based on the international law, and the implementation of the inalienable right for the Saharawi people to self-determination.

Links