Equipe Media
Paris, France – October 21, 2024
The French Association for Friendship and Solidarity with African Peoples (AFASPA) has issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing restrictions imposed by the Moroccan occupation authorities on observers and journalists seeking to visit the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
In a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron, AFASPA highlighted the increasingly restrictive measures implemented by Morocco to prevent international scrutiny of the situation on the ground. Since January 2014, over 296 individuals from 21 nationalities have been expelled from Western Sahara, including human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists.
The association expressed particular concern about the Moroccan authorities’ refusal to grant access to reputable international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Even United Nations officials, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights, have been denied entry to the region for several years.
AFASPA urged France to take a more assertive stance and support the inclusion of human rights monitoring within the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). By doing so, France can contribute to ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the occupied territories.