The Moroccan prison authority has denied allegations of poor detention conditions for the Gdeim Izik detainees, who have gone on a hunger strike. In a statement, the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation said that the strike, announced by 19 detainees, was not related to their detention conditions. Instead, the authority claimed that the strike was orchestrated by the Polisario Front and its supporters, amid the upcoming UN Security Council discussion on the Western Sahara issue.
According to the prison authority, only six out of the 19 detainees had submitted notifications of their intention to go on a hunger strike as of September 23. The authority also stated that it had previously issued several statements clarifying the detention conditions of the Gdeim Izik detainees, highlighting that they had access to medical care, education, and adequate living conditions.
The prison authority also addressed the detainees' demand to be transferred to prisons in the southern regions of Morocco. It stated that the nature of their sentences did not allow for such a transfer, as the prisons in these regions were not equipped to handle detainees with similar profiles. However, the authority noted that one detainee had been transferred to a prison in Laayoune, in response to their request.
The Gdeim Izik detainees were arrested in 2010 for their involvement in a protest camp in Western Sahara. Their detention has been a contentious issue, with human rights groups and the Polisario Front criticizing Morocco's treatment of the detainees. The prison authority's statement appears to be an attempt to counter these criticisms and assert its control over the situation.
The hunger strike by the Gdeim Izik detainees is not the only recent development in Morocco related to detention conditions. The country has been working to improve its prison system, including the construction of new prisons and the implementation of rehabilitation programs. However, human rights groups continue to raise concerns about the treatment of detainees and the conditions in Moroccan prisons.
The Moroccan government has faced criticism from human rights groups and the international community regarding its handling of the Western Sahara issue. The government's stance on the issue has been firm, with Morocco maintaining its sovereignty over the territory. The prison authority's statement on the Gdeim Izik detainees appears to be part of this broader context.
The situation of the Gdeim Izik detainees remains a sensitive issue in Morocco, with ongoing concerns about their detention conditions and the government's handling of their case. The hunger strike has brought attention to their plight, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days and weeks.
Key points
- The Moroccan prison authority claims that the hunger strike by Gdeim Izik detainees is politically motivated and orchestrated by the Polisario Front.
