Two Moroccan policemen imprisoned for the murder of Sahrawi man in 2005 have been released after a court, this week, reduced their sentences from 10 to 2 years.
Photo above: From Lembarki's funeral.
Sahrawi, Hamdi Lembarki (below right), was beaten to death, in full public view, by two policemen on 29th October 2005 on a street in the town of El Aauin.
The two policemen, Abdurrahim Lemsaoud and Mustapha Rochdi, were initially sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the murder.
An Appeal Court judgement handed down in El Aaiun on 4th March of this year reduced their sentences from 10 to 2 years. As they had already served 2 years of their sentence they have now been released from prison.
The two policemen served their prison term in the so-called Black Prison in El Aaiun; in a special cell isolated from other prisoners.
Lembarki has, since 2005, become an important symbol for the Sahrawi people.
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