Moroccan authorities intensify isolation and harassment on Sahrawi human rights defenders in occupied Western Sahara
Front Line Defenders condemns the ongoing pattern of harassment, intimidation, sieges, arbitrary detention and forced transfers targeting Sahrawi human rights defenders in occupied Western Sahara. The organisation is particularly concerned by the increasing use of isolation tactics and movement restrictions aimed at preventing solidarity actions, obstructing human rights monitoring and punishing defenders advocating for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
Since the night of 19 May 2026, Moroccan forces have effectively besieged the home of Sahrawi human rights defender Houssein Mojahid in occupied Laayoune, where Ali Salem Tamek, President of the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara (CODESA), was staying with his wife and young son. Authorities reportedly surrounded the house, preventing the human right defenders and relatives from entering, and cut off the electricity supply.
It is noteworthy that Ali Salem Tamek and his family are currently living in the house of Houssein Mojahid, after being forced to leave their previous residence due to sustained pressure by Moroccan occupation authorities on the property owner. The house had been used to host activities organised by CODESA, whose members continue to face restrictions on peaceful assembly, harassment, and obstruction of their human rights work in occupied Western Sahara.
At the same time, CODESA Vice-President Khadijetou El Dweihi has reportedly been subjected to ongoing surveillance and intimidation around her home.
These incidents follow similar reprisals in Boujdour after the release of Sahrawi human rights defender and students’ movement leader Abdelmoula El Hafedh on 16 April 2026 after ten years of politically motivated detention. Moroccan authorities reportedly imposed a five-day siege on his family home in order to prevent human rights defenders, activists and civilians from visiting or welcoming him following his release. On 4 May 2026, Abdelmoula El Hafedh was reportedly detained by Moroccan gendarmerie and auxiliary forces near Boujdour, interrogated about his human rights activities and later abandoned approximately 60 kilometres away without explanation.
Sahrawi woman human rights defender Elouara Khaya, and sister of the prominent woman human rights defender Sultana Khaya was assaulted and forcibly expelled on 17 April 2026 after travelling to Boujdour to welcome Abdelmoula El Hafidh.
On 9 May 2026, Sahrawi woman human rights defender Leila Lili was abducted from a hotel in Boujdour by Moroccan police officers in plain clothes and forcibly transferred to Laayoune without being allowed to collect her personal belongings.
Furthermore, according to information received by the local branch of CODESA in Dakhla, Sahrawi human rights defender and young member of CODESA, Boujemaa Benmoussa, was also stopped by Moroccan occupation authorities on 11 May 2026 while returning from the Sahrawi refugee camps. He was reportedly interrogated for several hours regarding his human rights activities and support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, and subjected to threats, insults and the confiscation of personal belongings.
These incidents reflect an increasing pattern of preventing human rights defenders who are not originally from Boujdour from entering or remaining in the city, with the apparent aim of isolating local human rights defenders and restricting independent human rights monitoring.
Front Line Defenders believes that these incidents demonstrate a pattern of reprisals and collective punishment targeting Sahrawi human rights defenders in occupied Western Sahara.
Front Line Defenders calls on the Moroccan authorities to:
- Immediately end all forms of harassment, siege, intimidation and restrictions targeting Sahrawi human rights defenders and their families;
- End the use of arbitrary detention, forced transfers and isolation tactics against Sahrawi human rights defenders;
- Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all Sahrawi human rights defenders;
- Ensure that human rights defenders in Western Sahara are able to carry out their peaceful and legitimate work without fear of reprisals.
