The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network’s (EMHRN) observer at the trial of Sahrawi political prisoners in Morocco will be in Rabat for the second time to monitor the trial of these activists by a military tribunal, now listed for this coming 1 February.
The EMHRN representative, lawyer Michael Ellman, previously went out to Morocco on 22-24 October after the court-martial in Rabat was postponed a second time. Mr. Ellman is hoping to find out full, relevant details of how the investigation was conducted, why civilians are being tried not in an ordinary court of law but a military court, and allegations of torture and ill-treatment against the Sahrawi activists. He will be reporting on his findings.
More than twenty Sahrawi activists have been detained without bail in Salé prison (near Rabat) since the Moroccan army’s forced evacuation of Gdaim Izik camp (Western Sahara) in November 2010.
The EMHRN has asked the Moroccan authorities to afford Mr. Ellman the ability to carry out his mission.