Norwegian lawyer Toni Severon emphasized that the human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara remains catastrophic amid systematic repression and an alarming international silence, which necessitates sending missions to monitor human rights there.
During her speech at the conference presenting the annual report on human rights violations in the occupied territories of Western Sahara for 2024, organized by the Spanish organizations NOVACT and ACAPS in collaboration with the Working Group on the occupied territories, she stressed that Western Sahara continues to be described as an “information black hole” by Reporters Without Borders. This is due to Moroccan authorities preventing journalists and international observers from covering the situation on the ground, which further isolates the Sahrawi people and paves the way for more violations without accountability.
The Norwegian lawyer called on the international community to take action to pressure for an end to the Moroccan occupation and to guarantee the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.
The new report documents grave violations, including political repression, arbitrary arrests, torture, and ongoing harassment of Sahrawi activists, against the backdrop of the continued blockade imposed on the territory and the denial of access to any independent international monitoring mechanisms, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The settlement policy and the total control of Moroccan settlers over all aspects of life in the occupied territories, coupled with forced deportations, displacements, and the plundering of natural resources, further exacerbate the situation.
