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www.vest-sahara.no (Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara)
Published: 01.05 - 2008 13:16
It is unjust, unjust, unjust", Enaama Asfari says to the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara. Asfari was Monday sentenced to two months in prison for alleged harassment done at a time when he was in fact under torture by the police.
The human rights activist Enaama Asfari went through a tough trial yesterday. The judge sentenced him to two months in prison. Despite mismatch between evidence given and eye witness statements, and despite the fact that Asfari carries obvious sign of torture during police interrogation.
It was April 13th, 10:30 PM in the evening, that Asfari was arrested after a discussion with a Moroccan on the street.
Five plain clothed policemen, who had been following him for days, handcuffed him, blindfolded him and drove him to an unknown place. There he was tied to a tree and tortured. For four hours.
But the police, and their eye witness, states a different version of the night's incidents. They claim Asfari was arrested four hours later – 2:45 AM – after Asfari had been drunk driving, beaten up a Moroccan and threatening with a knife. The police deny he has been exposed to torture.
This means he is accused for harassment performed while he was actually tied to a tree. Asfari bears proof on his body that he was tortured. And the torture could only possibly have taken place in the time period between the actual time of arrest at 10.30 PM and the time of he signed the document at 2.45.
Wouldn't listen
Amnesty International demands that the allegation of torture is investigated. But during the trial Monday the judge wouldn't listen to Asfari's stories about being beaten during interrogation.
"It is unfair, unfair, unfair", says Asfari to the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara Monday evening.
"When I told about what had happened to me during arrest, he replied that he didn't want to hear about it. The judge only related to the statement I signed that night, under torture", Asfari tells.
Asfari showed the court his battered legs. His lawyers, brought in from France, pointed out all the paradoxes in the statements from the police, witnesses and the alleged victim, without this being taken into account.
The alleged victim says Asfari was arrested 1:45 in the morning, one hour earlier than stated by the police.
The prosecutor also failed to provide evidence to support that there had even been a knife present, or that Asfari had been drunk driving.
Now he has been sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, and a fine of 3.000 Moroccan Dirham.
During the Support Committee's phone conversation with Asfari we can hear considerable noise in the background. He's in the prison cell where he has been for more than a week, stuffed together with more than 70 other prisoners – all ordinary criminals. He say it is difficult to sleep, and hopes for immediate transfer to a different place.
Asfari is a lawyer, president of the human rights organisation CORELSO, and has been a resident of France for several years. His wife is French citizen.
Asfari will submit an appeal on the sentence next Tuesday.
French: Condamné à deux mois de prison
Norwegian: Dømt til 2 måneders fengsel
Related stories on www.vest-sahara.no:
Source: http://www.vest-sahara.no/index.php?parse_news=single&cat=49&art=912
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See also:
- Amnesty International: Allegations of torture of Sahrawi human rights defender must be investigated, Apr 26, 2008
- vest-sahara.no: French human rights activists expelled from Morocco, Apr 25, 2008
- CODESA statement: Marrakech Assault against Sahrawi students, Apr 22, 2008
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Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara
*** Referendum now! ***
www.vest-sahara.no
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sahara-update
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