Western Sahara: Human Rights

(asked on 19th May 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the joint communication issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention addressed to Morocco, expressing serious concerns about the human rights' violations committed against the Sahrawi people in the occupied territories of Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
James Cleverly Portrait
James Cleverly
Home Secretary
This question was answered on 28th May 2021

Human rights is a UK priority around the world and we raise human rights issues with Morocco accordingly. The UK regards the status of Western Sahara as undetermined. We have consistently supported language in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions which encourages the parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara.

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