Norway expresses concern over Saharawi prisoners

Norwegian minister for foreign affairs, Mrs Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, today expressed concern over the situation for imprisoned Saharawi human rights defenders. 

Published 22 April 2020

“Norwegian authorities are well aware of the situation in Moroccan jails, and share the concern over the situation for Saharawi human rights defenders", Norwegian Minister for foreign affairs, Mrs. Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide told today.

“The Norwegian embassy in Rabat regularly raises the situation for Saharawi human rights defenders in Moroccan jails with the Moroccan authorities and the human rights commission (CNDH). From Norwegian side, we have also expressed concern relating to the prison conditions in view of the corona pandemic", she expressed in an answer to a parliamentary question from Member of Parliament Åsmund Aukrust (Labour). 

March this year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expresed that political prisoners internationally must be released as a consequence of the corona pandemic. 

There are around 40 Saharawi political prisoners in Moroccan jails today. Different bodies in the UN have commented on most of them 

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