Two Spanish political parties are demanding a halt to arms exports to Morocco, wrote Iberian media this Sunday, May 4.The Basque and Catalan independence parties, EH Bildu and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)—both allies of the Polisario—have called for a suspension of export licenses for police and security equipment to Morocco. They demand that no such licenses be granted until all allegations of serious violations of international law, including excessive use of force, torture, and the forced disappearance of migrants by Moroccan security forces,are thoroughly and independently investigated and those responsible are held accountable. The proposal by EH Bildu and ERC is part of the ongoing reform being examined in the House of Representatives regarding the law governing the foreign trade of defense and security equipment. For the record, in December 2020, Catalan MPs from ERC had already supported the same request in a non-binding bill for the government. The government led by Pedro Sánchez has already rejected an initiative from its allies within Sumar to impose an embargo on arms sales to Morocco. «All defense material exports carried out by Spain comply with national legislation, as well as European and international regulations. These laws are based on the respect for the principles of international humanitarian law and on measures to promote international peace and security,» stated Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares in April 2024, in response to a written question from the far-left coalition deputies.
