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PUSL.- 30 MEP’s sent a letter today to the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula Von Der Leyen, the Vice- President and High Representative of FSP, Mr. Josep Borrell and to the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel regarding the situation of Saharawi activist Mrs. Mahfouda Lefkir a 34 year old mother recently sentenced to 6 month prison.
The MEP’s from several political groups (Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Group of the European People’s Party – Christian Democrats and Non-attached Members) expressed their concern with the health status of Mrs. Lefkir and the lack of due medical assistance as well as detention conditions.
Brussels, December 17, 2019
President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula Von Der Leyen Vice-President and High Representative of FASP, Mr. Josep Borrell President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel
We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, are writing to you regarding the on- going civil rights problems at El Aaiun – Western Sahara’ occupied territories.
Last 15th of November Mahfouda Elfakir, a Western Sahara’ activist living in El Aaiun, was arrested after protesting in the court against a decision to arrest several teenagers (one of them her cousin), following the celebrations of Algeria victory in the Africa Cup of Nations. On her way to prison, she was beaten and put in very precarious conditions.
Mahfouda is a mother of two children and has a serious disease (she is waiting for a surgery), that forces her to follow a strict medication. She got several visits from her father and her health conditions have been degrading. Last 27th of November, she was judged and got a 6- month prison sentence (which is rare, taking into account that she is a woman, mother and with a fragile health condition).
Following this sentence, her family house was surrounded by the police and all the communications, entrances, and exits are controlled. On the 28th, Labbat Ozman, 12 years old, Mahfouda’s cousin, was arrested for trying to leave the house. He was released several hours later, with obvious beating marks.
We thus urge you to establish contact with the Moroccan authorities about Mahfouda Elfakir’s condition ofimprisonment and to understand if she is being given all the health care access and legal defence.
Yours Sincerely,
Sandra Pereira, João Ferreira, Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Manuel Pizarro, Cornelia Ernst, Francisco Guerreiro, Tanja Fajon, Helmut Scholz, Benoît Biteau, Ivan Štefanec, Nikolaj Villumsen, Klaus Buchner, Sira Rego, Manuel Pineda Marín, Grace O’Sullivan, Milan Brglez, Pernando Barrena, Marisa Matias, José Gusmão, Joachim Schuster, Dietmar Köster, Gina Dowding, Özlem Alev Demirel, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Rosa D’Amato, Ellie Chowns, Jytte Guteland, Günther Sidl and Sirpa Pietikäinen