Western Sahara : the Sahrawi militants persona non grata in Algiers

The Algerian intelligence services stick to it. They are on their guard concerning all the persons coming from Morocco especially journalists and Sahrawis originating from the South of the Kingdom, who are considered persona non grata. Once they put their feet in Algiers Airport, they are systematically taken in charge by the Algerian intelligence services and agents for a long interrogation like the former Russian KGB, before being returned back by force to their country of origin. The experience has been undergone in last November by the octogenarian, Ismaili Moulay Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud and his son Mohamed Cheikh who were putting into port in Algiers before going to Tindouf camps where they wanted to ask about the life conditions of the spouse and five children of Mustapha Salma who was at the time detained by the polisario militia in Algeria.

Despite of his old age and his disease, Ismaili has been coarsely returned back after having been humiliated and maltreated during 24 hours in the corridors of Algiers airport. Badreddine Mohamed El Bachir, a Sahrawi militant and member of the « Moroccan association for the territory integrity » based in Tan-Tan, has had more chance since he has succeeded to walk through the airport borders and go to Algiers city center. It is only the third day of his visit that he was arrested by the secret services agents. He has been interrogated for six hours. The intelligence services wanted to winckle information out of him. The Sahrawi militant knows the music since he has already dealt with the Algerian secret services, when he was arrested first time in last October. He said having, like the last time,  been pscyhologically and physically maltreated and tortured and morally humiliated. Nevertheless, he went to Algeria upon an invitation from his colleagues in the Algerian  political parties and human rights organizations, to explain to  them and to the Algerian public opinion, the Moroccan autonomy project, the point of view of Sahrawis and the whole Western Sahara issue. This inhuman and humiliating treatment reserved by the Algerian intelligence services to the Moroccan citizens, in violation of all the international conventions, has been deeply denounced by Moroccan associations. «The Moroccan association for territory integrity » based in Tan-Tan and the Forum supporting Tindouf autonomists (Forsatin) have expressed in press releases, their solidarity with Badreddine Mohamed El Bachir. They also ask for explanation from the Algerian government about this exaggeration qualified of being irresponsible, and humiliating practices used against Moroccan citizens crossing Algeria.

 

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