Algiers — "Moroccan Justice took a great risk by condemning the 24 Sahrawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik to heavy sentences," president of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic's Friends Association in France (AARASD) Regine Villemont said Saturday in Algiers.

While described the process of political score-settling, she believed that the risk incurred by Morocco is that these terrible convictions could result in a second Gdeim Izik.

"This trial demonstrates to the international community that Morocco is not in harmony with the principles of democracy and human rights which he claims to guarantee it," she said.

With regard to the French position vis-à-vis the Western Sahara issue, Ms. Villemont noted that France has great interests in Morocco, which, she said, explains France's support for the project of autonomy claimed by Morocco.

From his part, Secretary General of the Saharawi Jurists Union Mr. Abba Heisan described as "very bad" the situation in which the 24 Saharawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik live, underlining that Morocco uses new methods of torture these prisoners.

He added, in the same context, that the UN Rapporteur responsible for the case of torture in Western Sahara will report next Monday.