54 Saharawis are hunger strike at Barajas airport for not receiving asylum. Sahara was the Spanish colony of Western Sahara which they abandoned in 1975. It was illegally taken over by Morocco and has been in dispute ever since
They had applied for asylum in Spain ten days ago, and the hunger strike is inside Madrid-Barajas airport detention room, a spokesman of those affected told Eldiario Spanish online newspaper.
By Insurgente The group started the hunger strike following the denial of the asylum request of 41 of the applicants and the return of one of them “by obligation,” the spokesman said.
“Many of them are students who prefer to be on hunger strike, even if they have a bad time and are arrested in Spain, rather than risking their lives and being returned to Algeria, where most are threatened,” Asman said.
They have been assigned a lawyer, without giving them the option of choosing counsel, and have been a translator of Moroccan origin, who did not specify the individual situations of the majority of asylum seekers.
Upon arrival in Barajas, foreigners not admitted as well as the asylum seekers are transferred to rooms authorized for this purpose that are located at terminals 1 and 4 of the facilities. They are owned by AENA, the airport authority, and are guarded by the National Police and private security guards.
«We are 54 Saharawis who have been on hunger strike without food and without water», stated Saad Asman, one of the asylum seekers who raised worries regarding the health of some of people who started feeling dizzy as they suffer from diabetes. Continue reading “54 Saharawis on hunger strike at Madrid airport after Asylum denial”
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