HUMAN RIGHTS IN WESTERN SAHARA

Early day motion 1183, tabled 12 March 2008 by Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party). Signed by 29 members.

That this House expresses deep concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied territory of Western Sahara; deplores the evidence of human rights abuses perpetrated against Saharawi citizens including torture, beatings, false imprisonment, unfair trials, rape and disappearances; notes that some of these abuses have continued to escalate since the 2007 reports by Amnesty International and by the Saharawi human rights organisation, CODESA; further notes that the report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reflecting serious concern and calling for urgent action has never been formally released; calls for the OHCHR report to be officially published and adopted by the UN Security Council so that its recommendations may be implemented; and calls on the Government to act urgently in this regard.

Signatures by party: Labour 19, Liberal Democrat 4, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, DUP 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.