Ali Al-Sadouni protests alleged torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary arrest and unfair sentencing

On 17 January 2017, the Appeals Court in Al-Ayoun decided to reduce the sentence of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi and Khalihon Al-Faak from two years to one and a half years. On 5 January, the three Sahrawi HRDs began a hunger strike, in protest to their arbitrary detention, prison sentence, and alleged torture and ill-treatment by Moroccan authorities in Al-Akhal prison in Al-Ayoun in Western Sahara since their arrest on 1 December 2016. On 14 January 2017, the human rights defenders were placed in solitary confinement in response to their peaceful protest in detention.

Ali Al-Sadouni and Nour-al-Din Arkoubi are human rights defenders who work to coordinate people in Western Sahara who refuse citizenship of the Moroccan occupying power. The human rights defenders actively advocate for the right to self-determination in Western Sahara. Ali Al-Sadouni has been frequently detained, and allegedly tortured and ill-treated by Moroccan authorities due to his work as a human rights defender. Khalihon Al-Faak is a human rights defender working to promote and protect the rights of people in Western Sahara, and particularly the right to self-determination.

On 14 January 2017, the human rights defenders were placed in solitary confinement in response to their continued hunger strike. Ten days earlier on 4 January 2017, Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak began the hunger strike, which is the second since their arrest and is in protest to their arbitrary detention, alleged repeated torture and ill-treatment, lack of access to medical care and bad conditions under which they are being held in Al-Ayoun prison. The families of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak reported that the human rights defenders had confirmed suffering torture, being badly beaten, and refused medical care by Moroccan authorities. In particular, Ali Al-Sadouni was denied access to his epilepsy medication despite having a valid medical prescription. The human rights defenders went to trial on 21 December 2016 after several delays in the hearing since their detention on 1 December 2016. Morrocan security officers in plain clothes arrested Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak on 1 December 2016 at 21:55 as they were sitting at a coffee shop in Al-Samara, Al-Ayoun. They had previously been threatened with detention by Moroccan authorities for their work and for participating in peaceful protests for the right to self-determination in Western Sahara. The human rights defenders were sentenced to two years in prison on 21 December 2016, after fabricated charges of incitement and violence against civil servants, obstructing traffic, public disobedience, arms possession and threatening public security.

Front Line Defenders condemns the sentences against Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak, as it believes these sentences to be solely motivated by their peaceful and legitimate work in the defense of human rights and their advocacy for the right to self-determination in Western Sahara. Front Line Defenders is also gravely concerned about the allegations of torture and ill-treatment of the human rights defenders, as well as the denial of medical care by the authorities.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Morocco to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally quash the sentences against Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak and release the human rights defenders;

2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak;

3. Ensure that  Ali Al-Sadouni, Nour-al-Din Arkoubi, and Khalihon Al-Faak are provided with prompt and full access to medical care, and that their treatment, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

4. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment against the human rights defenders, with a view to publishing the results and bringing the perpetrators to justice in accordance with international standards;

5. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Western Sahara are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.