Engiya Boukhars

Front Line is concerned by the harassment of human rights defenders Alnassiri Ahmed and Engiya Boukhars following meetings with Front Line representatives and a peaceful demonstration in Smara on 21 September 2008. Following a Front Line meeting with Mr Alnassiri Ahmed, Moroccan security services raided his home but did not find him there. He was subsequently dismissed from his job at Khraibka Municipality. Al Nassiri is the Secretary General of the Committee for Protection of Human Rights in Smara-Western Sahara and a member of the Moroccan Human Rights Society. Women’s human rights defender Engiya Boukhars Alshaikhi who also met with the Front Line delegation was physically assaulted during the demonstration on September 21, 2008 by security forces and has since had her salary frozen.

Further Information

Engiya Boukhars is a member of the Sahrawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Samara. Front Line believes that the harassment of Western Saharan human rights defenders is related to their legitimate and non-violent human rights work, in particular the exercise of the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of all the human rights defenders involved, and their families.