Morocco Expels Portuguese Journalist Supporting Sahrawi Independence Movement

On her Twitter account, Isabel Lourenço reaffirmed that her trip was part of a visit to the relatives of various Sahrawi prisoners sentenced by Moroccan courts. The journalist for the online media "Tornado" said she had never hidden the purpose of her trip. She was especially outraged that this could have constituted the reason justifying her expulsion, reports La Vanguardia.

According to the Spanish agency EFE, the Moroccan authorities almost systematically expel foreign supporters of the Sahrawi movement, which Rabat accuses of serving "a political agenda hostile to Morocco".

For its part, a journalistic organization made up of independent Sahrawi activists called "Equipe Média" claims that this expulsion of the Portuguese journalist and activist brings to 43 the number of foreigners turned away by Morocco in this part of the kingdom.