Supporters of the Polisario Front in France launched an initiative called the «Caravan for Freedom» on Sunday, March 30, from Ivry-sur-Seine. This project is led by Claude Mangin, the wife of Naama Asfari, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the deadly events during the dismantling of the Gdim Izik camp in Laayoune in November 2010, where 11 Moroccan security officers were killed. Claude Mangin and her companions plan to reach Kenitra prison, where her husband is incarcerated. After France, the group intends to pass through Spain to demand the release of all Sahrawi detainees linked to Gdim Izik. A few hours after the Polisario supporters' march in Ivry-sur-Seine, members of the Moroccan community in France organized a sit-in to reaffirm Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara. Moroccan authorities have previously denied Claude Mangin permission to visit her husband on four occasions. This initiative comes at a time when Morocco continues to expel Spanish nationals visiting the Sahara under the pretext of assessing the human rights situation. The latest expulsion occurred on Saturday, March 29, in Laayoune. Unlike the small Spanish delegations, which typically consist of no more than three people, Claude Mangin aims to mobilize up to 100,000 participants for her campaign in Morocco.
