The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) is calling on the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to include human rights issues in the area, at the next meeting on the matter.
In April 2013, when the mandate of the mission was last extended, the Security Council did not take into account the concerns raised by Christopher Ross, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, regarding the situation of human rights in the Saharawi territory and did not accede to repeated requests to extend MINURSO’s remit to include the monitoring and protection of fundamental rights, as is the case in many other peacekeeping operations.
Since then, fundamental rights violations have continued, as well as attacks on freedom of expression, cases of violence and torture and unfair trials, as denounced by many local associations and several European and American independent organisations.
During these visits to Western Sahara, C. Ross learnt first-hand, through meetings and testimonies, about the human rights situation, the persecution of human rights defenders and the repression of any show of what the Moroccan authorities describe as support for pro-independence positions.
Let us remember that at the September 2012 Universal Periodic Review on Morocco, the Human Rights Council made five recommendations on fundamental rights, one of which was to accept the establishment of a monitoring mechanism as part of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). In 2013, Juan Mendez, Special Rapporteur on Torture, noted in his report to the United Nations Human Rights Council (A/HRC/22/53/Add.2) the urgent need for an international mechanism for monitoring human rights as a means to improve their protection (pt.91). From a legal and humanitarian perspective, there is an urgent need to put an end to this situation.
The EMHRN regrets that the issue of human rights in Western Sahara, in all these areas (civil, political, economic, social and cultural), is not being given special and consistent attention by the international community, which as a result is failing to fulfil its responsibilities.
The EMHRN:
Calls for the prompt establishment of permanent international mechanisms for monitoring human rights in Western Sahara, and considers that the extension of MINURSO’s competencies corresponds perfectly to the situation in the region and the nature of this mission.
Calls on the Moroccan authorities to cease its repressive practices and to allow the registration and activities of civil society and human rights organisations in Western Sahara.
Calls on the European institutions, the Member States of the European Union and the partner states on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean to pay attention to this issue, particularly in the context of their relations with Morocco.
Calls on the Member States of the European Union and the Mediterranean partners that are currently on the Security Council (United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Jordan) to support this approach.