Sultana Khaya beaten by Moroccan police again
Article image
Yet again, the Saharawi activist Sultana Khaya has been beaten by Moroccan police.
Published 14 May 2016


In 2007 she was beaten so hard that her eye fell out. She was also met with serious rounds of police violence in 2011 and 2013. In 2012 she was on a visit to Norway, meeting several Norwegian political organisations.

The pictures that the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara have received below were taken following a demonstration which Khaya took part in, on the 29 March, in the town of Boujdour in occupied Western Sahara. The pictures show bruises on the thighs, shoulders and arms.

"We demonstrated in solidarity with the Saharawi political prisoners. Plainclothed police came and beat us up", Khaya told on phone to the Norwegian Support Committee.

"I was pulled along the road and beaten and kicked. They tore up my clothes", she said.

The UN Security Council end of April decided to prolong the UN operation in Western Sahara with one more year. Previous requests from countries like the US and the UK to having the UN monitoring the human rights situation in Western Sahara were not taken into the resolution this year. Suggestions on a UN monitoring of human rights abuses are traditionally shot down by France, Morocco's main ally in the council. France is a strong opponent of human rights monitoring in the occupied territory.

Western Sahara has been partially occupied by Morocco since 1975.

sultanakhayaapril2016_10_509.jpg


sultanakhayaapril2016_2_400.jpg

sultanakhayaapril2016_4_400.jpg

sultanakhayaapril2016_8_509.jpg

sultanakhayaapril2016_9_400.jpg

UN body deemed Sultana's house arrest arbitrary

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has ruled in favour of the two Saharawi sisters Sultana and Luara Khaya. 

07 March 2023

Complaint submitted against Morocco on behalf of 10 imprisoned Saharawi students

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.

14 December 2022

End violence against Saharawi women!

A 16 day-long campaign will shed light on violence committed against women in occupied Western Sahara.  

24 November 2022

10 reasons why to attend the most authentic film festival around

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.

23 October 2022