Moroccan crackdown on Sahrawi solidarity protests

On October 12, 2026, Moroccan security forces suppressed a solidarity protest in Rabat organized by families of Sahrawi political detainees. The demonstration, held near the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, aimed to support prisoners from the ‘Gdeim Izik’ group who had been on a hunger strike since September 23 to protest detention conditions.

Sahrawi human rights organizations reported that the intervention caused several injuries and the arrest of at least six activists. Protesters displayed flags of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and called for self-determination, asserting the Polisario Front is the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.

Following the event, the King's Prosecutor at the Rabat Primary Court ordered the detention of four individuals. While human rights groups highlighted the arrests of activists, the public prosecution stated that the gathering of approximately 40 people caused chaos and obstructed public services. Authorities alleged that the crowd resisted dispersal violently, resulting in injuries to three law enforcement officers. The four prosecuted individuals face charges including disobedience, participating in an unauthorized gathering, insulting public officials, and committing violence against them.