US embassy cable - 05RABAT2015

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