Mariam Benahou
Mariam Benahou is a Sahrawi woman human rights defender and activist. She works with Sahrawi Organ against the Moroccan Occupation (ISACOM) where her work focuses on promoting Saharawi People's Right to Freedom and Independence. Mariam is also interested in human rights film-making.
The issue of the status of Western Sahara remains unresolved, despite ongoing negotiations between the Moroccan authorities and the Polisario Front. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), established in 1991, has been extended but continues to have no human rights monitoring component. The dispute over self determination created deep political and security related tensions throughout the Sahara area and affects all aspects of life, including the work of human rights defenders.
Sahrawi human rights defenders continued to be subjected to intimidation, harassment, questioning, arrest, incommunicado detention, and unfair trials.
