Local authorities in South Morocco considers French Claude Mangin, the lady on the left, a threat to public order.

A group of French human rights activists is now being expelled from Morocco. Among them are Claude Mangin (left), who travelled to the country to attend the trials against her husband (right).

The leading human rights activist, Enaama Asfari has been arrested in Marrakech. His French wife found him in a prison, after a 3 day long disappearance.

Amnesty International demands investigation of torture allegations against Enaama Asfari

A Moroccan website is attempting to discredit the Danish General, Kurt Mosgaard, who was the commanding officer for MINURSO in Western Sahara for two years.

She travelled to Morocco to be present at the trial against her husband, who is falsely changed by a Moroccan court with a series of charges. Today, French Claude Mangin was arrested too -and she is now threatened with expulsion from Morocco.

The Sahrawi students in Marrakech are under attack from armed Moroccan gangs. See fresh videos of peaceful demonstrations and victims.

Sahrawi students at the University of Marrakech, Moroccco, are subjected to assault and chasing by armed gangs, according to human rights NGO, CODESA.

Sahrawi human rights defender Naama Asfari has today been before a court in in Marrakech.

Yarba had the incorrect opinions when he arrived El Aaiun airport, but managed to get 4 minutes with his family.

Read the report on the international trade union delegation to occupied Western Sahara from 17th to 22nd of February 2008.

The former military chief of the UN mission in Western Sahara believes the UN must stand firmer on the claim for a referendum on independence. "But some permanent members of the Security Council have not wanted to push too hard for this" said Kurt Mosgaard, MINURSO Force Commander 2005-2007. Mosgaard is interviewed in a recent report from the Norwegian Refugee Council.

The leader of Liberal Youth Norway, Anne Solsvik, reacts strongly to the Grimstad firm Finsam operating in Western Sahara. Agderposten, 12 March 2008.

By the end of last week, the 30 year old Sahrawi student, Said Bellal, was sentenced to 4 months of prison. Amnesty International writes in a release today that they expect him to be a prisoner of conscience, jailed only for his activities for self-determination for the Sahrawi people. Bellal is sentenced for having taken part in a demonstration in May 2007. His explanation that he was subjected to torture, is not to have been investigated by the police.

A new publication has just been published by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Order here.

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.

The General Assembly of the Norwegian Labour Party's Oslo Constituency, 7th-8th March 2008, demands that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls Western Sahara an occupied country.

The Sahrawi human rights association ASVDH has started a campaign for the immediate release of their imprisoned general secretary, Brahim Sabbar.

Anders Forsmo from Vallø, Norway, has been running in Marathons for almost 20 years. On the 25 February he ran once again - in the Sahara. Tønsbergs Blad, 6th March, 2008.

Jinhui Shipping said Wednesday that it will take into consideration the analysis of Norwegian authorities regarding avoiding trade with phosphates from Western Sahara.

Western Sahara's government in exile accuses the shipping company J. Lauritzen of contributing to theft of natural resources from the occupied parts of the country.

Jinhui, the Oslo Stock Exchange-registered dry bulk shipping company, will tomorrow unload its last tons of controversial phosphate in New Zealand. The phosphate originates from occupied Western Sahara and has been shipped out of the country despite advice to the contrary from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norwatch has got photos and video footage of the unloading.

The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara has for the fist time discovered that a shipping company registered at the Oslo Stock Exchange is transporting phosphate from Western Sahara.

On the 25th of February, the Sahrawi refugees will host the 8th edition of the Sahara Marathon in their refugee camps in western Algeria. The refugees have been living in the camps since Morocco illegally occupied their home country in 1975.

Another investor, Öhman Funds from Sweden, has now divested from the Australian phoshate company Wesfarmers due to its imports of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.

Said Mustafa El Baillal (29), studying for a Doctorate in Social Sciences, has received a severe prison sentence. 
 

Before the week-end, the Moroccan governmental news service MAP claimed that the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed their autonomy plan for Western Sahara. "Not true", replies Minister.

From the 10th to 13th January the Moroccan National Tourist Office will be represented at the International Travel Fair 2008 at Lillestrøm, Norway. It is expected that again, the Moroccan tourist authorities will use the fair as an arena for falsely marketing Western Sahara as a tourist destination within Morocco. The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara demands that Norwegian Trade Fairs forbids the Moroccan marketing of its neighbouring country.

The organisers behind Norway's most significant travel fair have demanded that Moroccan tourism authorities halt the marketing of the occupied Western Sahara in this weekend's "Travel Fair 2008". The fair, taking place just outside Oslo this weekend expects some 40.000 visitors.
Read also: Stop the propaganda!

And says it has no plans to invest there.
Read also: Libyan state oil company in Western Sahara meets international protest

25th of December was a violent day in El Aaiun.

Pentagon announced on December 18th that the US will do a major sales of war material to Morocco. The agreement entails sales of 24 F-16 combat aircrafts, at a value of 2400 million dollars, as well as 24 T-6B Texan training aircrafts for 140 million. "An important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa", they state about Morocco.

According to Moroccan press reports this week-end, a subsidiary of the Libyan state oil company Tamoil will invest 100 to 150 million dollars in occupied Western Sahara. "If this is true, it would mean a serious betrayal of the Sahrawi people's legitimate struggle against occupation", says Western Sahara Resource Watch, an international network organisation working in solidarity with the Sahrawi people.
Read also: Protest over Sahrawi oil deal

Libyan state oil company could be looking for oil in occupied Western Sahara. Check some news clips here.

During the week-end of 7-9 December the National Board of the Christian Democrat Youth in Norway passed a resolution demanding recognition of the Western Saharan Republic.

Kosmos Energy has been named "Explorer of the Year" by the World Junior Oil & Gas Congress. Nobody mentioned it is operating illegally in occupied waters offshore Western Sahara.