Marrakech’s court of appeal postpone trials of eight Saharawi students to July 16
05/07/2007- Sahara Press Service

The Moroccan court of appeal in Marrakech postponed on Monday the judgment of eight Saharawi students, detained by Moroccan authorities since May, to July the 16, indicated the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA) in a press release.

The students: Abdelfattah Lyadassia, Eddah Mbairik, Mohamed Elaafwi, Hassan Fatteh, Rachid Bennou, Mahmoud Lemquiti, were condemned in a first trial in the same city to one year imprisonment, while Ms. Sultana Khaya, a young student who was bashed by police last May and lost an eye under torture, was condemned by the same court to eight months imprisonment.

In Rabat, the Moroccan court of appeal postponed the judgment of 9 other Saharawi students condemned in a first sentence to eight months imprisonment and 500 dirham fine each, to July the 10th, the same source added.

The victims are: Elwali Zaze, Najem Asghir, Mohamed Ali Andour, Lahoucine Edalaa, Mohamed Elalawi, MoulayAhmed Aillal, Brahim Elghorabi, Abdati Edeya and Lakhlifa Eljanhawi, ex-political prisoner, the text adds.

All these students were arrested by Moroccan police during brutal crack downs to disperse peaceful sit-ins the students organise to ask for their people’s right to independence and freedom and ask or the release of their comrades students in Moroccan universities in Agadir, Marrakech, Rabat and Casablanca, the same source added.

On the other hand, the Saharawi students arrested by Moroccan authorities during peaceful demonstrations in Agadir last May were released from detention on Tuesday after they served two months imprisonment.

With regard to the Saharawi political prisoners, Brahim Sabbar, Ahmed Sbai, Abdessalam Loumadi, Elhafed Toubali, Ahmed Salem Ahmeidat and Mohamed Lehbib Elgasmi, detained in very bad conditions in the notorious prison of Carcel Negra, will be brought on Monday before the Moroccan colonial court in the occupied capital of Western Sahara, El Aaiun, accused of insults against Moroccan justice during one of the audiences.

This accusation is based on the fact that these prisoners chanted slogans asking for the right to self-determination for the Saharawi people and asking for the immediate withdrawal of the Moroccan troops of occupation from Western Sahara, the same source indicated.

Mr. Brahim Sabbar, the Secretary General of a human rights organisation (ASVDH) was condemned to two years imprisonment during a first trial in the company of Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud Haddi. He was then condemned to an additional six months in a second trial in company of the political prisoner Mr. Ahmed Sbai.

The political prisoner, Abdessalam Loumadi was condemned to one year and six months imprisonment, and Mr. Elhafed Toubali, Ahmed Salem AHMEIDAT and Mohamed Lehbib Elgasmi were sentenced to three years, it should be recalled. (SPS)