68 foreign visitors refused access to Western Sahara last 2 days
Article image

From Sunday noon to Wednesday afternoon, 68 foreign visitors to Western Sahara have either been detained after arrival to occupied Western Sahara or stopped upon trying to enter. All deported.

Published 19 January 2016

Above: Around half of the expelled people gathered in Agadir after being expelled to that city yesterday. 

The expulsion of 68 foreigners happened in 22 different incidents. They were from Norway (61 people), Sweden, the Netherlands, Lithuania, US, Canada and Poland. 

Different reasons were given by the Moroccan police as to the reason of expulsion or refusal of entry. These were: 

 

  • Confidential reasons which only the police know
     
  • Rental cars are not allowed to drive so far south
     
  • Because El Aaiun is a big city and one can get lost
     
  • Street fights and security concerns
     
  • Because it is much nicer in Agadir and there are nice hotels to visit in Marrakech
     
  • God has said so
     
  • Terrorism
     
  • That such a large number of Norwegian visitors had created a situation further south making it impossible to have more Norwegians visiting
     
  • Political visits are not allowed
     
  • Because new regulations have been introduced
     
  • Because it is forbidden
     
  • Norwegians and Swedes are not allowed to stay in Morocco


    Incident 1
    Time: 17 Jan, noon 
    Place: El Aaiun police checkpoint
    Amalie Willoch Njaastad, Norway
    Thea Willoch Njaastad, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2328

    Incident 2 
    Time: 17 Jan, noon 
    Place: El Aaiun checkpoint
    Ingrid Rabbe Larsen, Norway
    Kristin Rabbe Larsen, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2329


    Incident 3
    Time: 17 Jan, noon 
    Place: El Aaiun checkpoint
    Inga Marie Nymo Riseth, Norway
    Kerime Sarai van Opijnen, the Netherlands
    Aslak Bjørge Hermstad, Norway
    Martine Jahre, Norway
    Julie Kristine Wood, Norway
    Heidi Kristiansen, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2329

    Incident 4
    Time: 17 Jan, 1PM
    Place: El Aaiun, police checkpoint
    Tess Espey, Canada
    Michael Foster, USA
    http://wsrw.org/a105x3350

    Incident 5
    Time: 17 Jan, 2PM
    Place: El Aaiun, police checkpoint
    Margit Fausko, Norway
    Martin Ellingsen, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2332

    Incident 6
    Time: 17 Jan, 2PM
    Place: El Aaiun beach 
    Dagmara Wojtanowicz, Poland
    Mali Galaaen Røsseth, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2332

    Incident 7 
    Time: 17 Jan, 6:30 and 8:00 PM
    Place: Tan Tan and Guelmim police checkpoints
    Olav Strøm, Norway
    Lasse Fredheim, Norway
    Madelaine Jensen, Norway
    Morten Følling, Norway
    Ådne Madsen, Norway

    Incident 8
    Time: 18 Jan, 02:45 AM
    Place: Guelmim police checkpoint
    Maren Marie Wilhelmsen, Norway
    Eirik Torblå, Norway
    Espen Wennerberg, Norway
    Marius Holst, Norway
    Heidi Bergestig, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2345

    Incident 9
    Time: 18 Jan, 02:45 AM
    Place: Guelmim police checkpoint
    Eva Berner, Norway
    Håvard Skogerbø, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2345

    Incident 10
    Time: 18 Jan, morning
    Place: El Aaiun, police checkpoint
    Håvard Sagbakken Saanum, Norway
    Kenneth Karijord, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2350

    Incident 11
    Time: 18 Jan, approx. 04:00
    Place: Guelmim, police checkpoint
    Anne Hilde Hagland, Norway
    Tove Liljeholm, Sweden
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2346

    Incident 12
    Time: 18 Jan, 05:40
    Place: Guelmim, police checkpoint
    Natalie Milde, Norway
    Rikke With Bergseth, Norway
    Vilde Stokken, Norway
    Kristin Hustrulid, Norway
    Beathe Sognnes, Norway
    Emilie Bersaas, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2337

    Incident 13
    Time: 18 Jan, 05:40
    Place: Guelmim, police checkpoint
    Kai Arne Hustveit, Norway
    Helga Hustveit, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2337

    Incident 14
    Time: 18 Jan, 05:40
    Place: Guelmim, police checkpoint
    Helle Lohnås Engeset, Norway
    Casper Johansen, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2337

    Incident 15
    Time: 18 Jan, 9AM
    Place: El Aaiun, police checkpoint
    Hilde Nord Anglevik, Norway
    Sunniva Folgen Høiskar, Norway
    Ulrikke Thomsen, Norway
    Mathilde Bålsrud Mjelva, Norway 
    Tora Regina Myrvang Deglum, Norway
    Hanna Hagebø Steffenak, Norway
    Maja Fjellvær Thompson, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2350 

    Incident 16
    Time: 18 Jan
    Place: Hotel Salwan, El Aaiun
    Kristian Tonning Riise, Norway
    http://www.dagbladet.no/2016/01/18/nyheter/krig_og_konflikter/politikk/42798910/

    Incident 17
    Time: 18 Jan, approx. 4PM
    Place: El Aaiun, police checkpoint
    Fujan Parsa, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2350 

    Incident 18
    Time: 18 Jan, 5PM
    Place: Tan Tan, police checkpoint
    Sara Shafighi, Norway
    Frida Johansen, Norway
    Priya Kaur Bains, Norway
    Kristin Iversen, Norway
    Urte Sniaukstaite, Norway/Lithuania
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2351 

    Incident 19
    Time: 18 January in the evening
    Place: Tan Tan checkpoint
    Erlend Svardal Bøe, Norway
    Heidi Fuglesang , Norway
    Hedvig Heyerdahl, Norway
    Ingrid Hopp, Norway

    Incident 20
    Time: 19 January, 02:45
    Place: Guelmim checkpoint
    André Didden, Norway
    Hedda Østgaard, Norway
    Karl Ruben Gaasø, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2353

    Incident 21
    Time: 19 Jan, 16:00
    Place: Guelmim checkpoint
    Mathias Melø Haugen, Norway
    Nils Eivind Holth Landrø, Norway
    Håvard Røsæg, Norway
    Andreas Lillebråten, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a1x2343

    Incident 22
    Time: 20 Jan, 13:50 
    Place: From a house in El Aaiun
    Kim Runar Gjelstenli, Norway
    http://vest-sahara.no/a49x2368

    This article was first published on 19th January, and updated on 20th January following the latest expulsion.
     

UN committee highlights Moroccan impunity in occupied Western Sahara

Sahrawi civil society welcomes a new report from the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearance, and urges exhumations and identification of victims in the Morocco-occupied Western Sahara.

11 October 2024

Morocco under UN review over enforced disappearances

This week, Morocco is for the first time placed under review in the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances.

24 September 2024

Flooding in the Saharawi refugee camps

At least 520 families are said to have been evacuated in the Dakhla camp this week after heavy rains.

24 September 2024

Norwegian-owned ship transported gas to occupied Western Sahara

The Norwegian-owned 'Caroline Theresa' called at two ports in the occupied territories last week.

04 September 2024