CCPR/C/128/D/2924/2016
The facts as submitted by the author
2.1
Ahmed Braih, the father of seven children, resided primarily in the Tindouf camps in
the wilaya (district) of Laâyoune, and resided sporadically in Algiers. At the time of his
arrest, he was working as a human rights adviser for the Frente Popular para la Liberación
de Saguía el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO). Considered one of the founders
of the movement, he reported directly to the Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO.1
That organization administers the refugee camps located near the town of Tindouf in the
south-western Algerian desert. As a human rights adviser, Ahmed Braih had reported
serious violations of the human rights of refugees in the Tindouf camps to the Frente
POLISARIO secretariat and had severely criticized those violations, according to his
relatives.
2.2
In January 2009, Ahmed Braih was invited by the Frente POLISARIO leadership to
give lectures in Algiers on the human rights situation in the camps. His family suspects that
he was lured into an ambush by Frente POLISARIO officials, with the acquiescence of the
Algerian authorities, so that he could be abducted far from the camps.2
2.3
On the morning of 6 January 2009, Ahmed Braih was near the Frente POLISARIO
office in the Algiers city centre and was about to go to the University of Algiers to deliver a
lecture. As he was waiting on the sidewalk for the driver who was to take him there, he was
abducted by plainclothes members of the Algerian security forces. He was forced to get into
an unmarked vehicle and was taken to an unknown location.
2.4
Following the disappearance of Ahmed Braih, the author and his older brother, who
were then residing in the Tindouf refugee camps, and other members of Ahmed Braih’s
family sought information on his fate from the Office of the Secretary-General of the Frente
POLISARIO. They also sought information numerous times from other Frente
POLISARIO officials in Algiers. It was not until two months later, in March 2009, that they
received oral confirmation from one of the Frente POLISARIO leaders that their father had
been arrested and was being held in the military prison in Blida. The Frente POLISARIO
leader claimed to have visited Ahmed Braih on 1 March but said only that he was well. The
leader refused to disclose the reasons for Mr. Braih’s arrest and detention.
2.5
Ahmed Braih’s oldest son then tried to obtain confirmation of this information and
to inquire into his father’s situation on his own. He repeatedly sought permission from the
Frente POLISARIO leadership to visit his father at the latter’s place of detention. It was not
until early April 2011, more than two years after the abduction, that he was finally allowed
to visit his father, on condition that he not speak to anyone of the visit. On the appointed
date, he went to the Blida military prison, 50 kilometres south of Algiers, accompanied by a
Frente POLISARIO member, and reported to the guard at the entrance to the military court
next to the military prison. The guard refused at first to acknowledge that Ahmed Braih was
in the prison. After speaking by telephone with his superior, he allowed Ahmed Braih’s
oldest son and the Frente POLISARIO member to enter.
2.6
Ahmed Braih’s son was then taken, by himself, to a small empty room in one of the
buildings near the entrance to the prison. After some 20 minutes’ wait, soldiers brought
Ahmed Braih into the room. The conversation between the victim and his son took place
under the surveillance of the soldiers and lasted some 20 minutes. During that time, the son
was only able to ask general questions about his father’s health and to give him news of
each member of the family. Ahmed Braih did not seem to know whether he was to be tried
and could not tell his son why he had been imprisoned, stating only that he did not have a
lawyer. The son noted, however, that his father was not in good health and seemed to be
tired and anxious.
2.7
Ahmed Braih’s oldest son went back to the Blida military prison a few days later
with clothing, cigarettes and other personal effects that he wanted to give to his father.
1
2
2
The author provides numerous additional details on the history and goals of the Frente POLISARIO.
He notes that the Frente POLISARIO, with active and direct support from Algeria, is calling for the
establishment of an independent Saharan State and has unilaterally proclaimed the foundation of the
“Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”, which is not recognized by the United Nations.
The main headquarters of the Frente POLISARIO is located in the centre of the Algerian capital.
GE.20-14652