International group of students deported from South Morocco
Article image
Ten citizens from Lithuania, the Netherlands, Italy, Rwanda, Iran and Norway are now being deported from southern Morocco.
Published 25 January 2017


Click on images for high-resolution version. Free use.

At 6:15PM CET, ten foreign students were stopped by police in southern Morocco. The ten had plans to visit occupied Western Sahara, but were stopped in a checkpoint through the Moroccan city of Sidi Ifni.

"The police gave us different explanations all the time. First, they told us that it was not safe in Sidi Ifni. Then they said they did not know why, but that they had received strict orders to not let us through. They said it was forbidden for us to travel further south", Sara Sara Shafighi told, member of the city council of Trondheim, Norway.

The students came travelling in two rental cars from Agadir.

"The police has now ordered us to return to a city further north in Morocco, Ms Urte Sniaukstaite, originally from Lithuania told.

The ten had plans to travel to the territory of Western Sahara, under Moroccan occupation, to meet with Saharawis. Western Sahara is considered by the UN as the last unresolved colonial question in Africa. The people there has right to self-determination, but a referendum on independence is being obstructed by Morocco, which is occupying the territory.

asane1510.jpg

Above (from left): Nadia Alexandra Mutoni, Noway, Mascha Burgerhoudt, from the Netherlands, student in Norway, Dina Henden, Norway Erle Runde, Norway, Priya Kaur Bains, Norway

asane2510.jpg

Above (from left). Caroline Macri, Italy/Norway, Katrine Inderberg, Norway, Sara Shafighi, Norway, Urte Sniaukstaite, Norway and Frida Johansen, Norway.


urtecaroline509.jpg
Above: Caroline Macri (Italy), Urte Sniaukstaite (Lithuania)


maschaburgerhoudt509.jpg
Above: Mascha Burgerhoudt

Skretting Turkey misled about sustainability

Dutch-Norwegian fish feed giant admits using conflict fishmeal from occupied Western Sahara. Last month, it removed a fake sustainability claim from its website.

27 October 2025

Morocco plans massive AI center in occupied Western Sahara

A 500 MW hyperscale data center for Artificial Intelligence is being envisaged in the occupied territory. 

04 September 2025

UN experts urge Morocco to stop repressing Saharawis in Occupied Western Sahara

In a statement published last week, eight UN Special Rapporteurs have denounced Morocco’s ongoing campaign of repression, racial discrimination, and violence against Sahrawi human rights defenders, journalists, and advocates for self-determination, covering 79 victims as reference cases. 

02 June 2025

WSRW report: Record low number of phosphate importers

For the twelfth year in a row, WSRW publishes a detailed, annual overview of the companies involved in the purchase of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara. 

26 April 2025