Ex UN rapporteur deplores HR situation in Western Sahara jails

Former chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Mads Andenæs, calls the human rights situation in Western Sahara 'very depressing'.

Published 11 March 2016

Previous head of the UN Working Group for Arbitrary Detention, Mads Andenæs, was 2 March 2016 interviewed by Norwegian newspaper Klassekampen on his impression of the human rights in Western Sahara.

Andenæs was leading the working group's delegation to Morocco and Western Sahara in December 2013 and visited numerous prisons. Their report was published by the UN Human Rights Council 4 August 2014

«It is a very depressing situation there, which is only turning for the worse», Andenæs told Klassekampen.

Andenæs stated to Klassekampen that torture «is brutal reality for the people who fight for justice in Western Sahara. People die in jail, while central countries in the West are not critical enough to Morocco». He underlined in particular that Spain is "supporting the regime in Morocco." 

Mr. Andenæs is professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo, the former Director of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London and the former Director of the Centre of European Law at King’s College, University of London.
 

The Wolf In Charge of the Lamb

The occupying power Morocco, which sabotages the work of the UN Human Rights Council in occupied Western Sahara, has begun its first session after being elected to preside the Council.  

29 February 2024

​​Morocco elected new president of the UN Human Rights Council

Today, Morocco was elected to chair the UN Human Rights Council. The result generated strong reactions.

10 January 2024

Morocco runs for presidency of UN Human Rights Council

"The credibility of the UN system is at stake", says the Norwegian Support Committee about this week's election of a new presidency of the Human Rights Council. Norwegian organizations are critical of the candidacy.

08 January 2024

Imprisoned Saharawi student activist on hunger strike

A Saharawi activist in Moroccan prison last week initiated an open hunger strike. 

11 December 2023