Aminatou Haidar admonishes Morocco’s human rights violations at UN Human Rights Council

Aminatou Haidar, President of ISACOM and a prominent human rights defender from Western Sahara, delivered a statement at the 55th UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, shedding light on the continued suffering of the Sahrawi people under the illegal occupation of the Kingdom of Morocco.

You can read the entire statement here.

Haidar, who received the Right Livelihood Award in 2019 for her unwavering nonviolent activism despite imprisonment and torture, addressed the Council on Monday to decry the human rights violations endured by Sahrawi advocates for self-determination.

“Any Sahrawi advocating in favour of self-determination is brutally repressed, tortured and often sentenced without due process,” Haidar told the Council. “Activists are subjected to constant surveillance, and our freedom of movement is restricted.”

According to Haidar, Morocco alone is not to blame for the brutal repression and torture of Sahrawi activists. She pointed out that the international community recently legitimised this abuse by electing Morocco as the President of the Council.

“The election of an illegal occupant, involved in systematic human rights violations, stands in stark contrast to the principles of justice that this esteemed body represents,” said Haidar.

She called upon the international community to stand with the Sahrawi people and urged the United Nations to fulfil its responsibility in decolonising Western Sahara. 

“This election raises serious concerns for the safety of Sahrawi activists and their families, who, like me, engage with the Human Rights Council,” said Haidar. “Western Sahara must not fall into oblivion, and the United Nations must uphold its responsibility in its decolonisation process.”

Haidar’s statement underscores the urgent need to ensure justice and self-determination for Western Sahara, both for the safety of its people and for the United Nations’ reputation as a beacon of peace and security.