The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued a scathing report condemning Morocco’s detention conditions for a Sahrawi defender, labeling them as torture and a grave violation of international law. The findings detail prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and systematic psychological abuse, underscoring a broader pattern of repression in Western Sahara.

Morocco’s authorities have denied the allegations, citing national security concerns. However, the Committee’s evidence—drawn from witness testimonies, medical reports, and satellite imagery—provides an incontrovertible record of state-sponsored cruelty. The report calls for immediate release, independent investigations, and reparations for the victim and his family.

These findings reinforce the urgent need for global accountability mechanisms to protect human rights defenders and to dismantle colonial-era power structures that perpetuate injustice in the region.

Source: International Service for Human Rights