DR ‹ › A former Moroccan soldier, Omar Touanina, currently detained at the foreign nationals' detention center in Barcelona, has been on a hunger strike for five days to protest the rejection of his asylum application. He is calling on Spanish authorities to reconsider his case, claiming he fears retaliation from drug trafficking networks if returned to Morocco. Through his lawyer, Fernando Martínez, Touanina has submitted a new asylum request, stating that he served in the Moroccan military from 2014 to 2017 and took part in operations targeting arms and drug trafficking networks. He argues that his involvement in those operations exposes him to an «individual risk». According to sources cited by the Spanish news agency EFE, he has been held at the Zona Franca detention center for about a month following the rejection of his initial application. Since beginning his hunger strike, he has reportedly refused both food and medication. He is also demanding immediate release, arguing that his hunger strike and worsening health condition constitute new circumstances that justify a review of his case. Under Spanish law, detention in such facilities cannot exceed 40 days. Touanina was transferred to a Barcelona hospital's emergency department before being discharged under police supervision. A medical report indicated that he does not suffer from any psychological disorders.
