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Rabat – Tomorrow, June 1, will mark the appearance of Polisario leader Brahim Ghali in court, where he is expected to give his statement regarding multiple crimes Sahrawis and Spanish people filed against him.
The case of Ghali continues to top international headlines as it was a direct source of tension between Spain and Morocco.
Spanish news outlet La Razon recently quoted a source saying that Morocco continues to wait for Spain’s response as to why it accepted to receive Ghali with a fake ID and passport and while he was the subject of multiple criminal charges.
Ghali entered Spain under the name of Mohamed Ben Battouche. He could only enter with a fake identity as he is facing different serious charges including genocide, torture, illegal detention, kidnapping, and rape.
Morocco’s position is that the government in Spain should ensure a thorough and independent judicial investigation of the cases against Ghali. Rabat’s hope is that Madrid will not interfere with the Spanish judiciary in whatever action it may take against the Polisario chief.
La Razon said official statements from senior Spanish officials, including by Spain’s First Vice President of the Government Carmen Calvo, can only “fester” tension.
Last week, the Spanish official defended her country’s decision to host Ghali.
She also accused Morocco of “jumping a limit of good neighborliness” after supposedly allowing migrants to cross the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
She told Cala Sur TV that Spain wants to respect Morocco.
She added, however, referring to the recent events in Ceuta: “But what has happened should not happen. It is an assault that we cannot consent to.”
More than 8,000 people entered the Spanish enclave from northern Morocco, causing frustration among Spanish officials.
In her comments, Calvo did not take into account the sensitivity of Morocco’s case against Spain’s apparent hostility and lack of reciprocity in recent months. Despite Morocco’s insistence that its sovereignty is a red line, Madrid has shown signs of sympathizing with Polisario’s claims.
On the recent migration crisis, meanwhile, Spanish officials have constantly spoken out against the “unacceptable” entry of waves of migrants in Ceuta without mentioning – much less criticizing – the mistreatment of migrants by Spain’s Guardia Civil.,
Many advocacy groups and human rights NGOs have reported violations of human rights in how Spanish authorities reacted to the arrival of migrants, including minors.
According to reports, Spain violated international law and EU conventions on asylum procedure by collectively deporting migrants, including minors, without individually assessing their cases.
Catherine Woollar, the Secretary-General of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, told Al Jazeera that a situation where people are “collectively expelled without individual assessment is a situation that is illegal under EU and international law.”
She said that a country is expected to respect good reception of migrants, providing them with individual assessment.
Moroccan politicians and officials condemned Spain’s decision to host Ghali, repeatedly emphasizing that there is no means to calm tension other than bearing responsibility and forcing Ghali to appear before the court.
Mohamed Aujjar, Morocco’s former minister of justice, and Khalihenna Ould Errachid, theChairman of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), published an op-ed article in La Razon. In it, they criticized Spain’s decision to host Ghali, noting how Spain’s current attitude towards Morocco could bring the diplomatic rift to a point of no return.
Ahmed Herzenni, the itinerant ambassador in charge of human rights issues, jointly wrote the piece with Aujjar and Herenni.
“Even though the victims have devoted all their energies and resources to bringing to court the illegal and reprehensible acts of which they have been subjected, the Spanish justice system does not seem to be using the means at its disposal to ensure, as it should, respect for the legality of which it is the guardian,” they said.
For Morocco, the symbolism of Ghali’s summoning and court hearing will not be enough to mend the deeply fractured relations with Spain.
The Moroccan government is adamant that Spain should clarify its positions on Western Sahara if it wishes to build bridges to transcend the recent series of strategic divergences with Morocco.
But with many senior Spanish officials appearing to espouse and recycle pro-Polisario talking points, it remains to be seen how Madrid and Rabat will go about navigating their once “indispensable and strategic” friendship in the coming weeks.
