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 

UN body requests Morocco to immediately release Western Sahara journalist

In a recent published decision of 1 April 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention requested the immediate release of the young Saharawi journalist Khatri Dadda.

05 April 2024

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