On 30 May, 14 year old Mahmoud El Mousaoui was detained by a group of uniformed and plain clothes Moroccan police officers in the Maatala neighbourhood in El Aiún, Western Sahara. He was brutally attacked and has suffered serious injuries all over his body, including a fracture in his right hand.

Mahmoud’s family have informed members of AdalaUK that he needed surgery to treat the fracture in his hand. Mahmoud was in a very serious condition in A&E of Ben Lmahdi en El Aiún and is now unable totake  his end of year exams for this academic year.

In light of this attack it is important to note the following fact:

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 is the most ratified of all UN Conventions. This Convention encompasses civil rights and freedoms, including those of family life, health, basic wellbeing, education and activities of leisure time as well as special protection measures for minors. It is with this Convention in mind that AdalaUK condemns this concerning behaviour on the part of the Moroccan police.

The Moroccan occupation authorities must take additional steps to end systematic violence against Saharawi citzens, especially minors; violence that goes against the Saharai people’s right to self-determination.

 

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