On 3 October 2011, at approximately 1 am, Moroccan police arrested Kamal Al Tarayh at his home in the neighbourhood of Umm Al Tunisi. Later that morning, at approximately 6 am, the same police contingent arrested Abd Al Aziz Barrai at his home in the same neighbourhood. On the previous day, Moroccan authorities had arrested Al Mahjoub Awlad Al Cheih and Mohamed Manolo in Dakhla. Reportedly, police did not present any warrants for these arrests. It is further reported that the detained human rights defenders are currently being denied access to their lawyers, medical care and their families.
These arrests are believed to be part of an ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders in Western Sahara. On 3 October, it is reported that the same police contingent that arrested Kamal Al Tarayh and Abd Al Aziz Barrai also stormed the home of Mr Hasan Al Wali, adviser of the Organisation Against Torture in Dakhla. At approximately 10.45 am that morning, a joint force of army and police raided the home of human rights defender Mr Atiqu Barrai in the neighbourhood of Al Maisra. However, neither of them were at their homes at the time of the attacks. In both cases it is alleged that family members who were present at the time were intimidated by the authorities.
Front Line is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of Kamal Al Tarayh, Abd Al Aziz Barrai, Al Mahjoub Awlad Al Cheih and Mohamed Manolo considering that they are currently being held in incommunicado detention, which greatly increases the risk that they may be subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
Front Line believes that the arrests of the aforementioned human rights defenders are directly related to their legitimate work in defence of human rights, particularly with regard to their advocacy in favour of the self-determination of Moroccan-administered Western Sahara.
Frontline, 06/10/2011