(AI translated) Hussein al-Zawi is among the Sahrawi political prisoners against whom unjust long prison sentences were issued for their participation in organizing the Sahrawi displaced persons camp of Gdeim Izik, on the outskirts of the occupied city of Laayoune, and the subsequent arrests and trials before the Moroccan judiciary.

Hussein al-Zawi was born on January 10, 1975, in the city of Laayoune, Western Sahara. He is married and the father of three daughters. He was arrested on December 2, 2010, in the city of Laayoune, due to his membership in the Dialogue Committee of the Sahrawi displaced persons camp. His arrest came in the context of the events witnessed by the displaced persons camp, which ended with a military intervention by the Moroccan occupation force and the dismantling of the camp, and the subsequent arrests and judicial prosecutions that affected a number of Sahrawis.

Hussein al-Zawi was subjected to a series of procedures and trials before the Military Court in Salé / Morocco and the Court of Appeal in the same city during the period extending from February 13, 2013, to July 17, 2017, which took place in conditions far from the requirements of a fair trial, and the judicial proceedings ended with the issuance of a 25-year prison sentence against him.

The Sahrawi political prisoner Hussein al-Zawi was moved between a number of Moroccan prison institutions during his detention period, including: Salé Local Prison 1, Salé Local Prison 2, Al-Arjat Local Prison 1, and Kenitra Central Prison.

Hussein al-Zawi reported that, during the investigation and detention period, he was subjected to practices degrading human dignity. According to the statement provided, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, and he also reported being subjected to sexual assault, with the aim of pressuring him and forcing him to sign records that, according to his statement, he was not allowed to review or verify their content.

In protest against the conditions of his detention and what his case file describes as practices degrading human dignity, Hussein al-Zawi undertook several hunger strikes during his detention period. One of these strikes reached 19 days, in the context of his protests related to the conditions of his detention and his rights demands. Available information also indicates that he currently suffers from a number of chronic diseases and health problems, including: asthma and digestive system problems.