Morocco blocks Basque Parliament and Euskal Fondoa representatives from visiting occupied Western Sahara

The Basque Parliament has condemned Morocco for blocking three members of its Equality and Development Cooperation Commission from visiting occupied Western Sahara this week. The trip was organised in collaboration with Euskal Fondoa, whose representative was also expelled, barring the delegation from entering the occupied city of El Aaiún in Western Sahara.

As stated on the institution’s website, the delegation—comprising Mikel Arruabarrena (EAJ-PNV), Amancay Villalba (EH Bildu) and Jon Hernández (Mixto-Sumar)—had travelled to Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara to assess the human rights situation in the region, particularly concerning the Sahrawi population. This is not the first time Morocco has blocked such a visit.

Several media outlets, including Naiz and EITB, have already covered the incident. According to EITB, the parliamentary delegates were “immediately turned back without explanation” and were not even allowed to leave the plane. In response, they condemned Morocco’s “shameful and unacceptable behaviour” and called the expulsion a “violation” of their rights as public representatives.

The Sahrawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH) also condemned the incident in an official statement: “We strongly condemn the Moroccan regime’s policies and the blockade imposed on occupied Western Sahara, which prevents members of Parliament, lawyers, journalists and international observers from accessing the region”.