Dear Friend,[H/T to Shaker charlotta_pavlova.]
We have wonderful news! After a 32-day hunger strike, 2008 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Laureate Aminatou Haidar finally left the Canary Islands and returned to her home and family in Western Sahara today.
The RFK Center had been advocating for Aminatou's right to return to her homeland since November 14 when she was expelled from Western Sahara by Morocco. We called upon leaders in Morocco, Spain, France, the United States, and the United Nations to intervene to help bring her back to Western Sahara. The RFK Center had staff on the ground in the Canary Islands at Aminatou's side throughout the hunger strike.
Your actions on Aminatou's behalf also made a real difference. Hundreds of you called on U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay to speak out, and she responded, issuing a statement on December 8 calling on Morocco to recognize Aminatou's right to return. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also took up Aminatou's cause.
Aminatou's return is a victory for human rights defenders all over the world. Thank you for all your support.
Sincerely,
Monika Kalra Varma
Director, Center for Human Rights
Good News
Aminatou Haidar, about whom I posted an action item on Wednesday, has been returned home:
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