Key facts
- Sahrawi political prisoner Naama Asfari has been on a hunger strike since June 8, 2026.
- Asfari is protesting in Kenitra prison, Morocco, demanding compliance with UN rulings for his release.
- He was imprisoned in 2010 following his involvement in the Gdeim Izik protest camp in Western Sahara.
- The UN Committee Against Torture has stated Asfari's convictions were obtained through torture and coercion.
- Rights groups are concerned for Asfari's health and urge Moroccan authorities to protect his life.
Rights groups are urging Morocco to release Sahrawi political prisoner Naama Asfari, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 8, 2026, in Kenitra prison. Asfari's protest aims to compel Moroccan authorities to adhere to United Nations rulings that call for his release.
Asfari has been incarcerated since 2010 due to his participation in the Gdeim Izik protest camp in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. This camp was established to draw attention to the human rights abuses, poverty, and discrimination faced by the native Sahrawi population under Moroccan rule. The camp was dispersed by Moroccan security forces in November 2010, an operation that resulted in numerous civilian deaths and thousands of arrests, with Morocco reporting 11 police officers killed.
Following the incident, Asfari and other imprisoned camp members were convicted of involvement in the deaths of Moroccan police officers. However, the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) has stated that statements obtained from Asfari and his colleagues were secured through torture and coercion, and has called for their convictions to be overturned. Family members report that Asfari has lost approximately nine kilograms and is refusing to cooperate with prison medical staff, foregoing his daily exercise.
The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) has called on Morocco to comply with the CAT's ruling and a 2023 opinion from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that ordered his release. ISHR expressed grave concern over Asfari's health and urged Moroccan authorities to take immediate steps to protect his life and physical integrity.
Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco since 1975 and is claimed by native Sahrawis. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front has long fought for independence from Morocco. Hundreds of thousands of Sahrawi refugees reside in camps in southwestern Algeria, while independence advocates within Western Sahara have faced ongoing repression from Moroccan authorities.