Copenhagen — The Danish organization (Africa Contact) on Tuesday strongly condemned the harsh and unjust sentences given February 16th, by a Moroccan military court to 24 Saharawis, according to statement issued by the Organization.

Africa Contact condemned these sentences against Saharawi political prisoners just because they "demanding the right to live in their own country without Moroccan occupation and discrimination."

"One of the accused, Chaikh Banga, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison, said during the trial: "If my love for my country is considered an offense let the world witness that I am a gangster."

Africa Contact regards this trial as "being both immoral and against international law" urging the Moroccan government to "unconditionally release the 24 activists," as well as "Denmark and the rest of the world to also call for their release."

Africa Contact indicated that the "purpose of these harsh sentences is obviously to punish any attempt to challenge Morocco's illegal occupation of Western Sahara, the discrimination against the country's indigenous population," and "the plundering of Western Sahara's resources, the gross human rights violations."