SAHRAWI PRISONERS: SEPTEMBER 23 UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002015

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2010
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PBTS PREL MO
SUBJECT: SAHRAWI PRISONERS: SEPTEMBER 23 UPDATE

REF: RABAT 1997 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On September 23, Poloff contacted Assia El Ouadia,
member of the Consultative Council for Human Rights (CCDH)
and the Mohamed VI Foundation for the Integration of Former
Prisoners. Ouadia accompanied Chawki Benyoub, who heads the
CCDH committee on "Control of Violations in Moroccan
Prisons," to Oukacha prison in Casablanca on September 20 to
visit the four Sahrawi prisoners detained there (reftels).
Ouadia had refused to talk to the press about her visit but
had no hesitation to Poloff. She related that a doctor
accompanied her to the prison and that all four of the
prisoners showed no signs of abuse and exhibited no problems
beyond their weakened state. When questioned whether the
prisoners health required hospitalization, she said no. The
doctor confirmed that the prisoners' health was fine and that
the prisoners had not been tortured. Ouadia said that the
prisoners would begin eating if they were transferred to the
prison in Laayoune, where the court is and where their
families reside. (Note: As noted reftel, Ahmed El
Moutawakil said his brother Mohamed's family is in
Casablanca. End Note.) Ouadia understood that the Ministry
of Justice (MOJ) would be transferring the prisoners soon but
was unsure of a date.


2. (SBU) On Moroccan TV the evening of September 22, the
Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ),Mohamed

SIPDIS
Lididi, discussed his visit to the Laayoune prison earlier
that day and emphasized that the prisoners are being treated
the same as all prisoners, that is "based on equality." He
said there were "no worrying cases at the moment." When a
prisoner shows symptoms or signs of fatigue, Lididi said, a
doctor sees him immediately. Lididi also alleged that the
photographs purporting to show the prisoners in overcrowded
conditions were "manipulated." Lididi said that the
prisoners are under constant medical supervision and have the
right to serve their sentences in prisons located near their
families. He added that transferring prisoners to another
prison must take into consideration the availability of
rehabilitation programs which can provide them with skills.
According to Lididi, some of the prisoners have appealed
their cases in accordance with law. He also said that some
of the prisoners' cases were still being investigated.


3. (C) Comment: Lididi's comments about prisoners being
moved to prisons close to their families is compatible with
Ouadia's comment to Poloff. It is likely that the GOM is
laying the public basis for eventually transferring all of
the prisoners to Laayoune. At the same time, however, Ahmed
el Moutawakil said clearly that his brother's family (Mohamed
El Moutawakil) is in Casablanca.
RILEY