Essalha Boutanguiza
Essalha Boutanguiza is a prominent woman human rights defender and self-made journalist in Western Sahara. She began her media activism and human rights work as a member of the media committee within the Gdeim Izik camp in 2010, and has continued her documentation of human rights violations in Western Sahara through her journalism and activism. As part of her human rights activities, she participates in peaceful demonstrations which call for the right to self-determination. In addition, she advocates for the freedom of Sahrawi political prisoners and organises workshops in support of their families. She is also an active member of different Sahrawi human rights and media groups and organisations.
Essalha Boutanguiza has continuously faced multiple cases of harassment and violence for speaking out in support of the rights of the Sahrawi people and against the violations they have been confronted with.
The issue of the status of Western Sahara remains unresolved, despite ongoing negotiations between the Moroccan authorities and the Polisario Front. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), established in 1991, has been extended but continues to have no human rights monitoring component. The dispute over self determination created deep political and security related tensions throughout the Sahara area and affects all aspects of life, including the work of human rights defenders.
Sahrawi human rights defenders continued to be subjected to intimidation, harassment, questioning, arrest, incommunicado detention, and unfair trials.
