Sahrawi prisoners on hunger strike over ill treatment: Amnesty

Rabat (AFP) - Seven Sahrawi men who were severely beaten at a Moroccan jail in Western Sahara have gone on hunger strike to protest their ill treatment, Amnesty International said Friday.

The men had been handcuffed and severely beaten Wednesday in front of other prisoners in the courtyard of the prison in Laayoune, as well as verbally abused, the London-based rights group quoted eyewitnesses as saying.

The seven, arrested in early 2014 during a demonstration in Laayoune, sustained significant bruising and injuries, with one of them suffering a broken arm and the other limping due to a leg injury.

Laayoune's police chief, contacted by AFP, dismissed what he termed the "absurd allegations."

"The people concerned refused to fall in line with the prison rules. They used pieces of glass to attack four guards, who were injured," said Yahdih Bouchaab, adding that he had video evidence of the incident.

The prison's director, Abdelilah Zenfouni, denied they were on hunger strike and said the men were eating normally.

Amnesty, meanwhile, called on Moroccan authorities to ensure the men were not tortured, given the medical care they need, protected from reprisals and allowed to see their families.

It also demanded an investigation into reported torture and other ill-treatment, with those found responsible being brought to justice.

Morocco occupied much of Western Sahara in 1975 after former colonial power Spain withdrew, and has offered the Sahrawis autonomy under its rule.

That is rejected by the Polisario Front independence movement, which controls about a fifth of the territory.