Skip to content
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

Aminatou Haidar returns to Laâyoune after hunger strike

On 18 December 2009, Sahrawi activist Aminatou Haidar returned to Laâyoune in the Moroccan Sahara after a 32-day hunger strike in Lanzarote.

Her removal to the Canary Islands in November and the confiscation of her passport had triggered a diplomatic crisis. Amnesty International welcomed her return and recalled calling for her access to her home and documents to be restored.

Spanish and Arabic-language coverage describes the diplomatic efforts surrounding the return. It resolved her immediate displacement without settling political disagreements. The event illustrates the individual consequences of movement restrictions and their international repercussions.

Sources 3
What happened before?Continue in this file · Moroccan Sahara: from the roots of the conflict to the 2026 negotiations