Spanish Judiciary Orders Provisional Detention of a Moroccan Senator

A Spanish judge on Friday ordered the provisional detention of Moroccan Senator Yahya Yahya, known for his activism against “the Spanish occupation” of Melilla, a Spanish enclave in northern Morocco, of which Morocco is claiming sovereignty.

According to a statement of the Melilla prefecture, copied to APA, “the Moroccan Senator, Yahya Yahya, who was arrested Thursday morning in Melilla by the national police agency, was provisionally detained Friday under orders of the city’s highest criminal tribunal judge”.

The Moroccan Senator was arrested by the Spanish police shortly after his entry in the town, of which he is a native, like 20,000 other Moroccans living on the enclave.

After being accused of having assaulted an official during his arrest by the police in October 2006, a warrant of arrest was issued by the tribunal of Melilla a few months ago against Yahya.

The Moroccan Senator, who is also the chair of a grouping for friendship between Moroccan and Spanish senators, was “arrested in virtue of a warrant of arrest, investigation and presentation before the justice, issued by the same tribunal”, the Prefecture of Melilla added.

In fact, Mr. Yahya had refused to willfully appear before the tribunal of Melilla, which he considers as “a Spanish occupation tribunal”.

He was first arrested on October 8, 2006 following a complaint from neighbors of noise, as he was discussing loudly with his Spanish wife.

The Moroccan Senator said he was arrested by a six-member commando group of the Spanish national police who assaulted him in his home, while Spanish officials had accused him of having assaulted a police agent during his arrest.

Mr. Yahya, who is known for his activism against the occupation of Melilla and for the return of the enclave to Morocco, is expected to be tried for assaulting an officer.

Source African Press Agency

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