Accueil > Sociétés Civiles à Parlement Européen > GUE/NGL MEP Willy Meyer refused entry to Morocco

Maroc, sous des apparences accueillantes..............! (ndlr)

GUE/NGL MEP Willy Meyer refused entry to Morocco

Jeudi, 7 mars 2013 - 11h22 AM

jeudi 7 mars 2013

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Brussels 07/03/2013

GUE/NGL MEP Willy Meyer was one of four MEPs from the European Parliament’s cross-party intergroup on Western Sahara who were refused entry to Morocco yesterday on their way to Western Sahara to observe the human rights situation.

« This action is a new challenge to the European Parliament by the Moroccan regime. It is intended to extend the blackout so that the international community remains unaware of the continuing human rights violations suffered by the Saharawi population in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, » said MEP Meyer.

Travelling from Madrid, Meyer was prevented from entering Casablanca airport by Moroccan authorities who withdrew his passport at the aircraft exit, despite the fact they were aware that he was an MEP. The three other MEPs did not travel with Meyer on the same flight but met with the same fate when they arrived.

MEP Meyer explained : « Our agenda was to interview different Saharawi associations and representatives of the UN mission MINURSO and to gather detailed information of the serious and repeated violations of rights suffered daily by the Sahrawis. »

After being expelled from Morocco, Meyer said he would be asking for explanations both from the Presidency of the European Parliament and the High Representative of the European Union, Catherine Ashton.

« We must not forget that Morocco enjoys preferential treatment by the EU while it perpetrates such actions. We will demand strong diplomatic action to prevent this from happening again. »