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.