The Moroccan authorities have consistently engaged in the repression of Sahrawi students, using tactics such as fabricated charges, arbitrary arrests, and forced transfers to prisons far from their homes. This strategy not only punishes individual activists but also creates a climate of fear designed to stifle political dissent and undermine the Sahrawi movement for self-determination.
Lack of Universities in Western Sahara
One of the primary challenges faced by Sahrawi students is the absence of higher education institutions in their homeland. Students are forced to attend universities in distant Moroccan cities, where they often face hostility and systemic discrimination. This lack of local educational infrastructure highlights the deliberate marginalization of the Sahrawi people and their limited access to fundamental rights.
Cases of Arbitrary Arrests and Political Persecution
- Mohamed Laichi and Hassana Loud
These students were arrested in Agadir for their political activism advocating for the freedom of Sahrawi prisoners and the self-determination of their people. Their arrest underscores the Moroccan authorities’ intolerance for any form of dissent among Sahrawi youth. - Omar Abai
After being subjected to intensive interrogation, Abai was transferred to the Ait Melloul prison in southern Morocco, joining other imprisoned student activists. His case is emblematic of the harsh treatment meted out to Sahrawi detainees. - 2014 Marrakesh Arrests
In a highly militarized operation in the Isil district, Moroccan forces arrested several Sahrawi students, including Salek, Mohamed EL Hamdi, and Lahbib Boubker. and author 11 students These arrests were part of a broader campaign to suppress Sahrawi voices on Moroccan university campuses. - Recent Arrests in Agadir (2024)
Students Ayman Al-Yathribi, Al-Hussein Bourkab, and Omar Alab were sentenced to ten years in prison for their political activities. The severity of these sentences underscores the state’s determination to silence Sahrawi activism.
Broader Repression of Sahrawi Activists
The case of Ahmed Abdelkader Aliyat, a Sahrawi activist arrested in 2020 in Assa, demonstrates the continuation of this repression beyond the student population. His arrest and the subsequent targeting of other activists illustrate a systematic effort to crush the Sahrawi movement.
The arrests, imprisonment, and harassment of Sahrawi students reflect Morocco’s broader strategy to maintain control over Western Sahara by erasing Sahrawi identity and resistance. These actions violate international human rights standards and expose the Moroccan state’s disregard for the Sahrawi people’s right to freedom of expression and self-determination.
