Courthouse Square

510 King Street, Suite 340

Alexandria, Virginia 22314
P 703.566.3041
F 703.566.3972

May 11, 2021

Hon. Lisa Peterson

Senior Official for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights and Acting
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
U.S. Department of State
The Harry S Truman Building
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Ambassador Peterson,

This week we were informed that a group of Western Sahara human rights
defenders were brutally attacked and beaten by Moroccan security forces. On behalf of
these human rights defenders in Western Sahara, we are writing to request the
Department of State stress to the government of Morocco to adhere to its international
obligations and respect the fundamental rights of the people of Western Sahara.

According to CODESA Western Sahara staff, early in the morning on May 10,
2021, a special unit of the Moroccan forces wearing masks broke into the house of a
Saharawi family. During this early morning raid, three young Saharawi activists,
including CODESA Western Sahara President Babouzaid Mohamed Saeed; Salec Baber,
a Saharawi human rights activist, and former political prisoner; and Khalid Boufraywa,
a Saharawi human rights activist, were reportedly beaten and unlawfully taken by
Moroccan special forces. The three men were found in Taruma (30 miles north of Al-
Aaiun) and brought back to Al-Aaiun in Western Sahara. Based on the preliminary
information we were provided by CODESA Western Sahara lawyers and human rights
defenders, including photographs, the men have suffered serious physical injuries and
other trauma.

There has been a noted spike in human rights abuses against the people of
Western Sahara since the agreement between the United States and Morocco was signed
in late 2020 that included a section dealing with the Western Sahara question. As the
Administration reviews the legality and policy consequences of this agreement,
including its 10-year arms export provision, the U.S. must underscore that the
December 2020 agreement does not afford the Kingdom of Morocco a license to violate
the fundamental rights of the people of Western Sahara with impunity.

A part of The Global Rule of Law & Liberty Legal Defense Fund
globallibertyalliance.org
 The Global Liberty Alliance and other human rights defenders will assist
CODESA Western Sahara in documenting the human rights abuses to hold to account
the perpetrators of this and other attacks.

Sincerely,

For the Global Liberty Alliance

Jason I. Poblete i.x.

Jason I. Poblete i.x. (May 11, 2021 15:18 EDT)

Jason I. Poblete, President

cc: Mr. Joey Hood, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Near East Affairs

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)

Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma)
Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey)
Senator Christopher Coons (D-Delaware)

Page 2 of 2
2020-5 CODESA Human Rights Letter to DOS
Final Audit Report 2021-05-11

Created: 2021-05-11

By: Mauricio Tamargo (mtamargo@globallibertyalliance.org)

Status: Signed

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"2020-5 CODESA Human Rights Letter to DOS" History

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