Increase in violence in Western Sahara following the end of the ceasefire

Subject: Increase in violence in Western Sahara following the end of the ceasefire

Over the last few weeks there has been another crackdown against activists and human rights defenders in Western Sahara: police brutality against Sultana Jaya and her family, arbitrary arrests, temporary abductions such as those of Gali Buhala and Mohamed Nafaa Butasutra, or ill-treatment in prison such as that of Mohamed Lamin Hadi (who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike). A number of human rights organisations, including the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (part of the World Organisation Against Torture), are calling for urgent action1 to be taken in response to the alarming situation with regard to Mohamed Lamin Haddi.

In accordance with international humanitarian law and since Morocco is a preferential partner of the Union:

1. When does the Commission intend to condemn this escalation of repression in Western Sahara?

2. What is the Commission’s argument for failing to suspend the EU-Morocco Association Agreement, under which respect for human rights is a key priority, when the Government of Morocco is failing to respect such rights?

3. Is the EU delegation intending to visit Mohamed Lamin Haddi in prison to assess his state of health and the conditions in which he is being held?

1 https://www.omct.org/es/recursos/llamamientos-urgentes/marruecos-s%C3%A1hara-occidental-deterioro-del-

estado-de-salud-de-mohamed-lamin-haddi

Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission (6 May 2021)

The EU is following these cases, as part of its regular contacts and dialogue on human rights with the Moroccan authorities as well as with Morocco’s dedicated body, the National Council of Human Rights (NCHR).

Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is a vital component of the bilateral relations with Morocco, as notably reflected in the EU-Morocco Declaration of 27 June 2019 (2). The EU maintains a regular political dialogue with Morocco to exchange on human rights' issues, including in a dedicated Sub-Committee, which last met on 25 March.

The EU is following particularly closely the state of health and general conditions of detention of Mr Mohamed Lamin Haddi through its contacts with local and international human rights organisations. The EU has also raised his case directly with the NCHR, which visited Mr Lamin Haddi on 26 February to verify his condition directly.

⋅1∙ https://www.omct.org/es/recursos/llamamientos-urgentes/marruecos-s%C3%A1hara-occidental-deterioro-del-estado-de-salud-de-mohamed-lamin-haddi

⋅2∙ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/06/27/joint-declaration-by-the-european-union-and-the-kingdom-of-morocco-for-the-fourteenth-

meeting-of-the-association-council/