On Monday May 12th the Icelandic Parliament passed a resolution in support of the people of Western Sahara's right for self-determination.
The Western Sahara statement from the Icelandic Parliament enjoyed broad cross-political support, 59 MPs voted in favour of the resolution, none voted against and four were absent.
The text of the resolution in its English, unofficial, translation is as follows:
“The Icelandic Parliament requests the Minister for Foreign Affairs to work actively in international forums for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara to be respected as provided for in the resolutions of the United nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly and to support efforts to find a peaceful and permanent political solution.”
See original on the Parliament website.
The Icelandic Association for Western Sahara, founded in 2013, congratulates the Parliament with a good statement.
"It shows that the people of Iceland is ever more aware of the injustices suffered by the people of Western Sahara", stated Stefán Pálsson of the Icelandic Association for Western Sahara.
The resolution, tabled by eight MPs from five out of the six parties in parliament, drew strong reaction from Morocco with the Moroccan ambassador to Iceland and a delegation of Moroccan MPs visiting the country.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has ruled in favour of the two Saharawi sisters Sultana and Luara Khaya.
The torture and detention of 10 Saharawi students by Moroccan authorities must be investigated and denounced. This is the demand in a complaint submitted today to the UN Special Procedures.
A 16 day-long campaign will shed light on violence committed against women in occupied Western Sahara.
One film festival in the world is different from all others. Read Asria Taleb's encounter with a festival audience in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria - including her connection with a complete stranger.