Morocco Expels Spanish Activists and Journalist from Western Sahara

Jesús Maestro and Rosa Fernández, members of the Um Draiga Association, Friends of the Sahrawi People in Aragon, which is part of CEAS-Sahara, as well as the journalist Gara Santana Suárez, from the newspaper Canarias Ahora/ElDiario.es, were expelled from the Moroccan Sahara, according to CEAS-Sahara in a statement cited by Atlantico Hoy.

The two activists went to Laâyoune to carry out a mission of "observing the human rights situation" and "denouncing the plunder of natural resources by European companies," the note said, adding that the accompanying journalist was tasked with covering the mission.

Upon their arrival in Laâyoune from the Canary Islands, the three Spaniards were prevented by two people from disembarking from the plane and returned on the same flight, as shown in videos widely shared by Sahrawi independence activists on social media.

This is not the first time that Morocco has expelled Spaniards from its Sahara. On March 2, the Moroccan authorities expelled the head of external relations of the Spanish General Confederation of Labor (CGT) from Dakhla. On February 20, they expelled three European deputies from Laâyoune.

"Like other countries in the world, any visit to Morocco, whether official, tourist or for specific missions, is subject to clear organizational procedures within a regulated framework, in accordance with the laws in force [...] We will apply the law to anyone who tries to violate it," Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on February 26.