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About twenty Moroccan and dual-national protesters gathered on Monday in Poitiers, western France, to demonstrate against the visit of Claude Mangin, the wife of Ennaâma Asfari. Asfari has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in Morocco for his role in the violence that occurred during the dismantling of the Gdim Izik camp in Laâyoune in November 2010, where 11 Moroccan security force members were killed. Supported by the Polisario Front, Mangin's initiative is part of a «March for Freedom», which began on March 30th from Ivry-sur-Seine and is headed towards Kenitra, where Asfari is serving his sentence.
The Moroccan protesters gathered in front of the Gibauderie House, where Claude Mangin and six others are presenting «an exhibition on Western Sahara», with the support of the Human Rights League in Poitiers. The protesters criticized this initiative, condemning what they see as the politicization of the issue in the city.
«This woman organized this to save her husband's skin. A husband who was convicted by Moroccan courts. We don't want her to come and politicize this matter in Poitiers. If she wants her husband to be released, it must go through the courts», said Bouziane Fourka, from the collective of the Moroccan and Franco-Moroccan community in Poitiers and friends of Morocco, to La Nouvelle République.
The media reports that some of the protesters «first entered the Gibauderie House» before «coming out accompanied by Sophie Jeusseaume, the president of the establishment, as well as Joëlle Dumasdelage, one of the co-presidents of the Human Rights League in Poitiers», for an exchange outside.
Tensions rose particularly between the protesters and the pro-Polisario supporters. For her part, Claude Mangin explained that such situations arise in every city concerned by her initiative. The next stop of the march will be Angoulême.
Previously, Moroccan authorities have denied Claude Mangin permission to visit her husband on four occasions. The wife says she aims to mobilize up to 100,000 people for her cause in Morocco.
