Mister Kofi Annan
Secretary General of the United Nations,
New York

Brussels, 13th July 2005

Subject: Liberation of AMINATOU HAIDAR and all the saharawi political prisioners

Mister Secretary General,

Hereby I am sending you the list of the 178 Members of the European Parliament who signed the International Campaign for the liberation of Aminatou Haidar and all the saharawi political prisioners.

The Saharawi activist and former political prisoner, AMINATOU HAIDAR was arrested in the afternoon of Friday 17 June 2005 at El Ayoun hospital, where she was receiving treatment following serious injuries caused by the Moroccan forces of intervention, repressing a peaceful demonstration in Smara Avenue in El Ayoun.

The Saharawi human rights activist was taken off and incarcerated in the Central Police Station of El Ayoun where she was subjected to uninterrupted interrogation, isolated, deprived of medication and food to overcome her resistance.

On 20 June 2005 AMINATOU HAIDAR was transferred to the Black Prison in El Ayoun, and the only thing she has done wrong is to be a human rights activist, a Saharawi symbol of the defence of human rights.

In the course of the last few weeks, hundreds of Saharawi citizens and human rights activists have been kidnapped, tortured, interrogated and illegally imprisoned for having participated in peaceful demonstrations in occupied towns.

In the face of these serious human rights abuses perpetrated by the Moroccan regime against the Saharawi civilian population and placing at risk its physical integrity both individually and collectively, we DEMAND

  • The immediate release of AMINATOU HAIDAR, Saharawi symbol of human rights defence

  • The immediate release of all Saharawi political prisoners, the shedding of light on the fate of the disappeared, the stopping of persecution and harrassment of Saharawi human rights defenders and the sentencing of the guilty parties.

  • The withdrawal of all forces of oppression deployed in the streets of Saharawi occupied towns.

  • Freedom of access and movement in the territory for international observers and media correspondents.

  • The respect by Morocco of international law in the territory.

With best regards

Karin Scheele
Member of the European Parliament

Find enclosed a list with 178 signatures of Members of the European Parliament