Laayoune : The Moroccan authorities expel a Spanish lawyer

The Moroccan authorities prevented on Tuesday a Spanish national from entering the city of Laayoune. Anna Sebastinanne, a Spanish lawyer, was forced to return to Casablanca.

The lawyer was prevented from leaving the plane after she landed in Laayoune via a flight from Casablanca. She was planning to attend the trial of a Sahrawi who is accused of offending a police officer and setting a car on fire.

Last year, Morocco expelled 43 people from the Sahara, including journalists, lawyers and elected officials. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Morocco in his reports to allow visits by human rights observes.

On the other hand, Josep Borrell, European Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, said last week that «the access and conditions of entry in a non-autonomous territory, such as Western Sahara, are determined by administrative authorities of the territory»; that is to say Morocco.