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After an absence of more than four weeks, news over the health condition of Brahim Ghali were revealed. The Polisario leader was admitted to a hospital in Logroño last night not far from Zaragoza, reveals Jeune Afrique. A decision that «was the subject of intense discussions», indicates the French-speaking media.
«For reasons of discretion and because he is the subject of several complaints filed with the Spanish courts by former members of the Polisario for human rights violations, Brahim Ghali was hospitalized under the name of Mohamed Ben Battouche, with Algerian citizenship».
The magazine claims that Brahim Ghali's state of health has worsened in recent days. He was hospitalized in Tindouf, where the head of the Algerian army, General Said Chengriha, visited him.
Jeune Afrique reveals that after Germany refused to welcome the Polisario leader, «it was ultimately Spain that was chosen after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had obtained the assurance of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez that Ghali would not be harassed by the Spanish justice». He added that «a team of Algerian doctors is accompanying the Sahrawi leader to Zaragoza, on board a medical plane chartered by the Algerian presidency».
This is not the first time that the head of the Polisario chooses Spain for health reasons. In January 2017, he had undergone surgery for a cancerous tumor in his stomach at a clinic in Madrid.
A trip which was then preceded by negotiations between the Algerian authorities and their Spanish counterparts to allow him to be treated without being worried by the National Court in Madrid, which is pursuing him for crimes against humanity, kidnappings and torture. These accusations prevent Brahim Ghali from making visits to Spain to attend protests in favor of his separatist movement.
The Polisario reacts with three contradictory versions
After these revelations, the Polisario gave its version of the story. Futuro Sahara, close to Mohamed Lamine Ould El Bouhali, affirms that Brahim Ghali is not hospitalized in Spain. According to the same source, his plane made a stopover in the country for «technical reasons» before flying to a «European state» where Ghali «is being cured of a coronavirus infection», adding that his «state of health is stable».
For its part, the Polisario press agency specified in a brief press release from the «presidency» that Ghali «has been undergoing health treatment for several days, following his infection with the Covid-19 virus».
Polisario representative Bachir Mustapha Sayed gives another version. «The Saharawi authorities have just confirmed, through an authorized source, the news concerning the state of health of our president Brahim Ghali. He is in an Algerian hospital. His state of health evolves from stability to a notable improvement. A quick recovery is expected», he told EFE.
Sayed denied the revelations about the emergency hospitalization of the leader of the separatist movement in Spain. On the other hand, he confirmed Ghali's infection with Covid-19.
