Western Sahara

The authorities in Western Sahara are suppressing human rights and independent activities using harassment, surveillance, and prolonged imprisonment following unjust trials. Morocco has controlled most of Western Sahara since the former colonial administrator Spain left the region. Despite the UN’s high command for human rights expressing its desire for a meaningful mission to be established in the area, there is little or no progress. It has been almost eight years since the last OHCHR visit.

We pray for the illegal Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara to end. We pray for God to raise His Children in the EU and other parts of the world to oppose any attempt vehemently by Morocco to legalize their occupation (The Holy Bible, 2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Western Sahara is an illegally occupied territory. After the Spanish occupation and a three-way tussle for control over the North African country, Morocco annexed southern Western Sahara. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO) led the government in exile in Western Sahara and the Sahrawi people are recognized by 38 countries as well as the United Nations. They even have an African Union membership. Only 20% of the disputed territory is controlled by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. In 2020, in a significant setback to their independence claims, the United States recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara for normalizing relationships with Israel. Earlier this year, Israel became the second country to recognize the Moroccan claim over the occupied territory. Despite not being listed in the rankings for persecution, the occupied territories do not have religious freedom. Outreach materials in Hassaniya Arabic are available with missionaries in the area. However, with only a handful of Christian Believers, sustainable missionary work in Western Sahara is nearly impossible to carry out.