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Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Jeremy Corbyn (Labour), on Tuesday, 26 February 2013, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 50 members in total.

WESTERN SAHARA AND HUMAN RIGHTS

That this House notes the concerns raised by Amnesty International and other organisations over the trial and sentencing of 24 civilian Saharawi human rights activists by a military tribunal; further notes the increasing human rights abuses in the Western Sahara; acknowledges the need for MINURSO to be given a human rights monitoring mandate; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Moroccan government to revoke the politically motivated and unjust sentences against the 24 Saharawi human rights activists, to release all Saharawi prisoners in Moroccan jails and to allow access to the Saharawi territories under Morocco's occupation by independent observers and international media.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received 3 amendments.

1113A1
at end add 'further notes that the most serious sentences were for acts of violence leading to the deaths of 11 unarmed law enforcement officers and mutilation of their corpses; further notes that the convictions followed fair and open trials in a judicial process conducted in accordance with Moroccan domestic law and Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and United Nations Resolution 2005/30, monitored by the National Human Rights Council and international observers who reported it as 'transparent and balanced'; and recognises that civil protest and demonstrations in Morocco have taken place regularly and peacefully, but where injury and death occurs the country has every right to enforce the law and through judicial impartiality ensure justice is accorded to the families of the deceased, to whom this House expresses its condolences'.
1113A2
leave out from 'tribunal;' to end and add 'further notes that when the Moroccan security forces moved to break up the protest, 11 security personnel were murdered and their bodies mutilated by extremists who had infiltrated the protestors' group; further notes that the Moroccan government has stated that their trial took place using the permanent military court because the crimes involved were murders of Moroccan armed forces; further notes that sentences passed varied between 20 and 30 years; further notes that the Moroccan government has stated that there is a right of appeal to the appropriate higher court; and further notes that a number of domestic and international human rights groups were able to observe the trial and that, whilst some have raised concerns, others have welcomed the openness of the trial and reported that correct procedures were followed.'.
1113A3
at end add 'further notes that the most serious sentences were for acts of violence leading to the deaths of 11 unarmed law enforcement officers and the mutilation of their corpses; further notes that the convictions followed fair and open trials in a judicial process conducted in accordance with Moroccan domestic law Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and UN Resolution 2005/30, and were monitored by the National Human Rights Council and international observers who reported it as 'transparent and balanced'; and recognises that civil protest and demonstrations in Morocco have taken place regularly and peacefully, but where injury and death occurs the country has every right to enforce the law and through judicial impartiality to ensure justice is accorded to the families of the deceased, to whom this House expresses its condolences.'.

Secondary information

Type
Early day motion
Reference
1113 
1113A1 
1113A2 
1113A3 
Session
2012-13
Other sponsors
Paul Flynn
Jonathan Evans
Roger Williams
Mark Williams
Jim Shannon
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP2013-0669
Friday, 22 March 2013
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Subjects
Africa Human rights
Link
View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk