C	Faced with the Threat of Dissolution by the Moroccan Authorities Solidarity with the Forum Vérité et Justice (Sahara Section)
	A legal procedure was opened on April 15 against the Sahara section to the Forum Vérité et Justice. The Criminal Investigation Department lodged at the court of first instance of El Ayoun an application for dissolution of the Sahara section of the Forum Vérité et Justice. Mr Moutik Lahoussine, president of the Sahara section and member of the national board of the Forum, is summoned to appear on April 23, 2003 by the court of first instance in El Ayoun. This measure comes after many instances of intimidation of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders during recent months (abusive arrests, transfers, prohibition to travel, sentences...) with the aim of putting an end to the courageous activity of the HR militants in Western Sahara . The request of the Public Prosecutor is based on articles 3 and 7 of the "code des Libertés", it accuses this association of taking actions against law and order and against the territorial integrity of the kingdom. The Sahara section inter alia is shown "to have links with foreign parties, to be conspiring with international organizations hostile to Morocco...". Does it mean that the members or the European Parliament, Amnesty International and other NGOs who met the Forum Vérité et Justice Sahara Section are members of an anti-Morrocan plot ? Faced with the deterioration of the situation of Human Rights in Western Sahara under Moroccan control and the attempt at prohibiting a recognized (including at the international level) Human Rights organization, he International Office for the Respect of the Human rights in the Western Sahara (BIRDHSO) reaffirms its solidarity and support for the Sahara Section of the Forum Vérité et Justice. The BIRDHSO calls upon all Human Rights organizations and particularly those which have had the opportunity to meet members of the FVJSAH, to intervene with the Moroccan authorities asking for the respect of freedom of association, to the UN and in particular its Special Representative for Human Rights defenders, appealing to Morocco to respect International Conventions. Geneva, April 22, 2003 Please write to : M. Mohammed Bousoubaa, Ministre de la Justice, Palais de la Mamounia, Rabat, Maroc, Fax : 212 37 73 07 72/ 212 37 73 89 40/ 212 37 73 27 10. MINURSO Office in El Ayoun : fax : 001 212 963 30 24 Mrs Hina Jilani Spécial Representative for Human Rights Defenders : tb-petitions@ohchr.org
C	Bureau International pour le Respect des Droits de l'homme au Sahara Occidental Case Postale 53 1211 GENEVE 9 (SUISSE) Tél. et fax : ++41.22.320.65.50 E-mail : birdhso@birdhso.org Compte de Chèque Postal: CCP 12-12461-0 - Compte bancaire : Union de Banques Suisse 279-C3117839.0 1205 GENEVE