The Human Rights Watch organization has again pointed out the Polisario regarding the arbitrary arrest of the dissident Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud. In its 2011 report, the human rights organization condemns the arrest of Mustapha Salma in September 2010 for having simply expressed his support to the Moroccan autonomy proposal for the Western Sahara. HRW qualifies this arbitrary arrest of being a “violation of human rights committed by the Polisario” against Mustapha Salma. Under the pressure made by NGOs and international media, the Polisario was finally obliged to release the dissident who has become too much embarrassing. But the release of the former Polisario senior executive does unburden neither Polisario nor Algeria from their responsibility in this persecution. Human Rights Watch has thus underlined the responsibility of Algeria “in the guarantee of human rights to all the persons living on its territory”, and that is the case of Mustapha Salma at the time of his arrest. The Polisario dissident has been arrested on his way to enter Tindouf, in the Algerian territory, after a visit to the Sahara. During his stay, he had « publicly expressed his support » to the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Western Sahara.

After his release, Mustapha Salma has been forbidden by the Polisario and Algeria to return to Tindouf and has been returned by force to Mauritania. From his imposed exile, Mustapha Salma is asking today the HCR to guarantee his return in Tindouf camps, to be with his family and children. He also calls for the breaking out of the state of siege imposed to the Sahrawis in Tindouf camps. “Make free the Sahrawis and let them decide afterwards” has he argued.