Adala UK condemns systematic violations of Saharawi students’ rights under occupation

Adala UK strongly condemns the ongoing and systematic violations of the rights of Saharawi civilian prisoners, particularly students, by the Moroccan authorities. We draw urgent attention to the case of Ayman Al-Thurbi, a young Saharawi law student and political prisoner, who has entered a 48 hour hunger strike in protest against the denial of his right to education while detained in a Moroccan prison.

Despite being a student lawfully enrolled at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Ayman is being deliberately denied access to the prison library and study materials an act we consider a flagrant violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. This protest is not only a personal stand but a reflection of the broader repression faced by Saharawi students under Moroccan occupation.

“Ayman Al-Thurbi is being punished not for any crime, but for being a student and a Saharawi,” said Sidi Ahmed Alyadasi chair of Adala UK.
“This denial of education is part of a broader strategy to break the minds and hopes of a new generation of Saharawis. As an organisation, we will not stay silent while students are targeted, imprisoned, and dehumanised simply for defending their identity and their people’s right to self-determination.”

Denial of Education: A Violation of International Law

Adala UK affirms that the right to education is protected under Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and must be guaranteed to all individuals, including those deprived of their liberty. Furthermore, Rules 104 and 105 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) obligate prison authorities to facilitate access to education and intellectual development.

The Moroccan authorities’ continued denial of Ayman’s academic rights specifically his access to books, legal texts, and study time is a clear act of discrimination and part of a systematic policy aimed at silencing and punishing Saharawi political expression.

Arbitrary Detention for Peaceful Student Activism

Ayman Al-Thurbi was arrested on 29 January 2024 in the city of Agadir and later sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, solely for his peaceful and legitimate political engagement. A committed student activist, Ayman was an active member of the Saharawi Student Committee and the Student Union Coordination, where he advocated for the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination through peaceful means.

His detention constitutes a violation of freedom of expression and freedom of association, as guaranteed by Articles 19 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). His treatment further violates Article 10of the same covenant, which requires the humane treatment of all persons deprived of liberty.

Not an Isolated Case

Adala UK stresses that this is not an isolated case. Ayman’s situation is emblematic of a wider campaign of repression by the Moroccan authorities, targeting Saharawi university students and activists. The denial of education, degrading conditions of detention, and political trials based on fabricated charges have become routine tools used to suppress Saharawi youth who engage in nonviolent political expression.

Such violations reflect a broader strategy to break the spirit of young Saharawis and to undermine their access to education as a tool of empowerment and resistance.

Our Position and Demands

Adala UK holds the Moroccan authorities fully responsible for the physical and psychological well being of Ayman Al-Thurbi, and we demand:

• His immediate access to the prison library and all educational materials needed to continue his legal studies;
• The guarantee of his academic rights without discrimination or retaliation;
• Independent medical monitoring during and after his hunger strike;
• An end to all punitive measures targeting Saharawi prisoners for their political or student activism.

We further call on:

• The United Nations Special Rapporteurs on education, torture, and human rights defenders to urgently address this case;
• International and UK-based academic institutions to speak out in defence of academic freedom in occupied Western Sahara;
• The UK Government and European Union to hold Morocco accountable for its breaches of international law, particularly in territories under occupation.

Education is Not a Privilege It is a Right

The denial of education to Ayman Al-Thurbi is not simply an administrative decision it is a political act aimed at erasing the voice and future of a young Saharawi committed to peaceful change. Adala UK stands in full solidarity with Ayman and all Saharawi political prisoners who continue to resist, even from behind bars, through nonviolent means.

We will continue to advocate for their rights and to ensure that education, dignity, and justice are not denied to any Saharawi student simply because they demand their people’s right to self-determination.

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For media inquiries, statements, or further information, please contact:
Adala UK
info@adalauk.org

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