According to his family, in conversation with members of Adala UK, on Sunday 21 December Mbarek Daoudi temporarily suspended his hunger strike which he began 51 days previously in protest against his arbitrary detention, the delay of his trial and the abuse he has received whilst in Salé prison in Morocco. He took the decision to suspend his hunger strike when he was told the date of his trial had been set for 25 December 2014. Mbarek hopes that the trial will be held in a civilian court, and not in a military court – a promise that should be kept under international law.

Mbarek remains committed to his belief in the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination. He blames the Moroccan authorities for his arbitrary detention and that of four of his sons, all of whom, according to Mbarek, have endured ‘the worst kinds of mental and physical torture due to the simple fact that they peacefully protest for their country’s right to freedom from Moroccan occupation”.

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