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A group of Moroccan women, who have been married to ISIS fighters and who are held currently in northern Syria, might be handed over to the Iraqi authorities, stated the Morocco-based Northern Observatory for Human Rights (ONERDH), citing an official source.
In a communiqué issued Tuesday, November the 20th, the NGO warned against the procedure, stressing that these women might be convicted by Iraq of membership to ISIS. «They could be arrested by the authorities within the next six months», wrote the Moroccan association.
These women, stranded in a refugee camp with their children, have been at the heart of ONERDH’s demands in the last couple of months. «The Observatory has urged the Moroccan government to repatriate Moroccan women and their children to the Kingdom», stressed the same statement.
The association's calls come as several countries have worked on bringing back their nationals, added the same source, especially as most of these refugees might face death sentences.
Repatriating them before their arrest
The information was confirmed, Wednesday, by the president the Northern Observatory for Human Rights Mohamed Ben Aissa. The latter told Yabiladi that the «government has welcomed the idea of repatriating these nationals, with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation».
But for Ben Aissa, despite Morocco’s commitment «nothing has been done yet». Countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Tajikistan have already identified their nationals through «DNA testing» to conclude their repatriation, argued the activist.
However, Morocco, Tunisia and France have not reacted yet to the situation of these women, who suffer in Syrian refugee camps, he explained. According to Ben Aissa «300 Moroccan women are stuck in Syria, 50 of them were brought back to ISIS, but it turned out later that international arrest warrants were issued against those who managed to escape and cross the Turkish borders».
«These women and their children cannot be left out, knowing that they might face trial while they are unable to return to their country».
On May the 11th, the Morocco-based Northern Observatory for Human Rights sent a letter to the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross to inform him about the situation of Moroccan women and their children in Syria’s refugees’ camps.
The observatory said at the time that it was taking note of the situation of the 200 women in Syria, who are hoping to go back to their country of origin.
The letter stressed that the Observatory «received SOS calls from some women and their families in Morocco because there were told they will be sent to either the Iraqi authorities to be prosecuted for terrorism or to ISIS, putting their lives in jeopardy».
The same observatory also sent a letter on April 25 to the Syrian Democratic Forces urging them to coordinate with the Moroccan authorities to help these women and their children leave the camps for Morocco.
Responding to the association’s call, the government spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi dismissed «rumors» suggesting that Morocco denied the repatriation of 200 Moroccan women and their children in Syria, during a press conference held on July the 12th.
«It’s their country and we cannot refuse their repatriation», he said, adding that Morocco «defends its citizens inside the outside the country». «It is part of our duty», added the government spokesperson. The minister also promised to contact the Ministry of Moroccans living abroad to tackle the issue.
