In a joint statement delivered at the 49th session of the UNHRC, the international NGO “Promotion of Economic and Social Development and Sustainable Development” (PDES) and the Sahara Observatory for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights (OSPDH) pointed out the failures of Algeria to meet its obligations under international law, with regard to the population of Tindouf, denouncing in particular the refusal of the authorities of this country to open investigations into cases of “denial of the right to life”, crimes and executions perpetrated by separatist bands and the Algerian security services against the inhabitants of the camps.
“Although the polisario has acknowledged that human rights violations have occurred in the past, it has not provided clear data regarding enforced disappearances, abductions, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in detention centers,” they noted.
While recalling that the right to life is guaranteed by Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the NGOs noted that “exceptional circumstances, including a state of war, threat of war, internal political instability or any other emergency situation cannot be invoked to justify extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
In this sense, PDES and OSPDH pointed out that the authorities of the Algerian state continue to commit murders without any judicial or legal procedure. The two organizations recalled in this regard that many cases of killings committed by the Algerian forces against the Sahrawi population have been reported.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse