Adala UK condemns use of bladed weapons against Sidi Mohamed by police officers
Saharawi citizen Sidi Mohamed had been on strike outside his house for five days – demanding his right to return to work as he had been forced to leave his job due to his political conviction on the Western Sahara question – when the Moroccan police intervened in order to force Sidi Mohamed to end his peaceful protest.
When members of Adala UK visited Sidi Mohamed he confirmed that he was brutally beaten and attacked with razor blades on his head and arms by Moroccan police officers, which was witnessed by several of his colleagues and family members. These witnesses asked the Moroccan police officers to stop their attack and to provide Sidi Mohamed with medical assistance, but their demands were ignored and the police officers also started beating the other people present at the scene.
Sidi Mohamed had already been attacked and beaten by the police on several previous occasions.
These and similar cases of violence against Saharawi citizens at the hands of the Moroccan police frequently go unpunished as the responsible police officers are not investigated.
Adala UK urges the Moroccan authorities to show their commitment to human rights by carrying out a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the attack on Sidi Mohamed, in particular into the use of razor blades by police officers.