DR ‹ › As anticipated, Moroccan authorities expelled three Spanish nationals from Laâyoune on Tuesday, January 13th. Upon their arrival from the Canary Islands, law enforcement officials prevented them from disembarking and promptly sent them back. In a joint statement, the Spaniards condemned their expulsion from Laâyoune as an «unacceptable act of repression and an impediment to peaceful observation efforts». The day before, they had announced plans to visit the region to «evaluate the human rights situation on the ground». Morocco consistently expels foreigners who identify as «human rights observers» and attempt to enter the Sahara without prior authorization from Moroccan authorities. The delegation from the Canary Islands included Noemí Santana Perera, a MP for the Podemos party in the Spanish Parliament's lower house.
