Geneva — The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by information received from a reliable source concerning the arrest and arbitrary detention of two children in Western Sahara (Morocco).

According to the information received, on 5 October 2000, at about 13h00, eight youngsters, including two children, were arrested by the Moroccan Occupation Forces close to Guelta Zemour (in the occupied territories) Westeren Sahara, (see Case MAR 211000).

In the morning, the youngsters went for an excursion close to the above- mentioned place and were attacked by unities of the Moroccan Army. This made the youngsters escape to all directions. The Moroccan soldiers arrested the two children, while the others were running away in the middle of the gunfire.

The two children arrested are:

LazaarMohamed ould Mohamed-Lamin, born in 1983 in El Aaiún DaoudMohamed-Salem Falli, born in 1983 in El Aaiún

According to the information received, on the same day, at about 14h30, the two children were brought to the military post of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) based in Guelta, where, allegedly, they were subjected to torture and ill- treatment.

In the morning of 6 October 2000, the two children were brought to the Royal Police Force who continued, together with Judicial Police Officers in the division of El Aaiún, to torture and interrogate them for two days. Finally, on 9 October 2000, the two children were charged with "gang forming" and "attempts of illigal immigration" and sent to the prison known as the 'black prison'.

The International Secretariat is concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of these children in detention and recalls that Morocco is a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such is obligated to ensure the protection of all children against all forms of illegal or arbitrary detention, as well as protect against torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Action requested:

Please write to the authorities in Morocco urging them to:

takeall necessary measures to guarantee the phyisical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned children and order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their rocedural righst at all times;

ordera thorough and impartial investigation into the allegedly arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

guaranteethe respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards and in particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Addresses

King Mohammed VI. Ibn Al Hassan, King of Maroc, Palais Royal, Rabat, Morocco. Fax: (+ 212 7) 73 07 72.

M. Abderrahmane El Youssoufi, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Palais Royal, Rabat, Morocco. Fax (+ 212 7) 76 99 95 // 76 91 95 or 77 68 37

M. Driss Basri, Minister of Interior, Administrative Quarter, Rabat, Morocco. Fax: (+212 7) 76 20 56 / 76 64

M. Omar Azziman, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Palais de la Manounia, Rabat, Morocco. Fax: (+212 7) 73 89 40 / 73 27 10

M. Driss Dahak, President of the Consultative Council of Human Rights (CCDH), Place des Chouhada, B.P. 1341, Rabat, Morocco. Fax: (+212 7) 72 68 56

Geneva, October 20, 2000

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

For further information, contact Ben Schonveld, Projects Manager OMCT-SOS-Torture, Case Postale 119 37-39 Rue de Vermont CH1211 Geneva 20 CIC Switzerland, Fax 4122 733 1051 Ph 4122 733 3140. OMCT is l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture / The World Organisation Against Torture. E-mail: omct@omct.org; http://www.omct.org/