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What happened next?Continue in this file · Moroccan Sahara: from the roots of the conflict to the 2026 negotiations
File · Moroccan Sahara: from the roots of the conflict to the 2026 negotiations

Dismantling of Gdeim Izik opens a lasting dispute over violence and trials

On 8 November 2010, Moroccan forces dismantle the Gdeim Izik protest camp near Laayoune; deadly clashes follow in the camp and the city.

Mobilisation includes social and economic grievances. Moroccan authorities report eleven security-force deaths during the sequence; HRW also reports civilian deaths and documents allegations of mistreatment after arrests. Findings must be attributed to their origin and date.

Proceedings in 2013 and 2017 fuel a lasting dispute over evidence, torture allegations and trial fairness. HRW continues to challenge their fairness in its report on 2025. Responsibility for violence and defendants’ safeguards are distinct questions: the dossier infers neither individual guilt nor innocence from political affiliation.

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What happened before?Continue in this file · Moroccan Sahara: from the roots of the conflict to the 2026 negotiations