Renowned activist Aminaotu Haidar, president of the organisation Sahrawi Defenders of Human Rights, was expelled on November 13 from Sahrawi territory and forced to fly from Al-Alaiun airport to Lanzarote after having been detained for an entire day in the airport by Moroccan authorities and interrogated over her political beliefs and her recent trip abroad. Haidar was returning to Western Sahara's capital from the US, where she had ben awarded the 2008 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Authorities argued she declined to identify herself as a Moroccan national. Once in the Canary Islands, Spanish authorities made her cross the border and prevented her from boarding another plane since her passport was being withheld in Al-Alaiun. The Sahrawi activist went on a hunger strike on Monday to protest against her retention in Spain.

The conflict between Morocco and Spain, on the one hand, and Haidar -regularly referred to as the "Sahrawi Gandhi"- has deserved the attention of international Western Sahara support organizations, Amnesty International and the Basque Parliament's Intergroup for "Peace and Freedom in Western Sahara".

Amnesty International (AI) has said that the "arbitrary expulsion of a human rights defender is a sign of increasing intolerance" by Morocco, and has called for the Alaouite kingdom to allow Haidar returning to her native land. The international organization has based such demand on article 12.4 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which establishes that "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country". It has also criticized Spanish authorities for forcing the activist to enter Spanish territory, and requested Madrid to intercede on Aminatou Haidar's behalf and let her out of Spain even without passport so that she can get back to Al-Alaiun safely.

The Basque Parliament's Intergroup for "Peace and Freedom in Western Sahara" has expressed its "deep concern" over Aminatou Haidar's weak condition, which has been worsening after years of "suffering in Moroccan prisons" and is now aggravating due to the hunger strike. The Basque Intergroup has called for the Moroccan government to allow Haidar back into her country, and expressed unease on the attitude of the Spanish airport authorities.

The Lanzarote airport has pressed charges against Haidar and her followers for civil disorder. The judge has summoned the activist to appear in court today, but she has not turned up on claims her health condition was fragile. Spanish minister for foreign affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, will meet his Moroccan counterpart to discuss the issue tomorrow.

Further information:

• El País: Haidar se niega a comparecer ante el juez y alega que está en huelga de hambre
• ABC: Moratinos se reunirá mañana con su colega marroquí para hablar de Haidar
• Sahara Press Service: Espagne : partis politiques et ONG critiquent le rôle de l’Espagne dans l’expulsion de la militante sahraouie Aminetou Haidar