PUSL.- At noon today took place, the appeal trial of Sahrawi activist Mahfouda Elfakir in which the judge has ratified the sentence of 6 months in prison and the payment of a 2,000 dirhams fine, issued on November 27. The trial was held in the court of El Aaiun, the capital of occupied Western Sahara
The hearing has been held without the assistance of observers, allowing only Mahfouda’s father to enter.
It should be noted that the defense lawyer of Mahfouda received the documentation of the trial on the 27th and the information and documents of the trial held today, at the end of yesterday afternoon, so that the activist’s defense has been reduced due to the limited time available to prepare the file.
The young mother, member of the association “Coordination of Gdeim Izik” and the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, was arrested inside the courtroom of the court of El Aaiún under the pretext of “assaulting an official” when she asked about her cousin’s case, Mansour Elmoussaoui, who was sentenced to 1 month in prison. Mansour was arrested on 28 October and accused of participating in the celebrations of the Algerian team victory in the Africa Cup.
Refusing to board a common prison transport van with only male prisoners, she was brutally beaten in front of everyone at the trial.
Mahfouda was presented on Saturday, November 16 before the king’s attorney. In the absence of her lawyer, the prosecutor sent her to the black prison of El Aaiun. The family was not allowed to give her the medications she had to take daily, knowing that Mahfouda has a cyst in her head and has been waiting for surgery for several months.
After her arrest, the health state of Mahfouda worsened and the penitentiaries responsible had to call an ambulance and gave her an injection to calm her down, without knowing about her previous health conditons.
Mahfouda is a well-known activist and has long been targeted by the Moroccan police. The Saharawi activist has been the victim of several attacks by the Moroccan authorities during peaceful demonstrations in which she regularly participates to demand the release of political prisoners and the independence of Western Sahara.
