My name is Mbarek El Ansari, and I was born on the date of 08/18/1979 in the city of El- Aaiun, the capital of Western Sahara, holder of a Spanish National Identity card number: 42423125Q. I am a Saharaui human rights activist monitoring and documenting the grave violations committed by the Moroccan state against the Saharawi people, detained for 15 days in El-Aaiun on 05/26/2005 until 06/08/2005 for taking part in a peaceful demonstration against the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. I was, once again, arbitrarily detained for another nine days on 07/12/2005 until 07/20/2005 for demonstrating peacefully with other Saharawis demanding the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara in front of the Moroccan Government’s local authority headquarters in El Aaiun city, the capital of occupied Western Sahara. I was arbitrary, for a third time, detained for six days from 04/10/2005 until 10/10/2005 for demonstrating with my countrymen in front of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in El Aaiun city. I was subjected to house arrest arbitrarily for 51 days from 10/10/2005 until 11/30/2005 for demonstrating again with our countrymen in front of the headquarters of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ( MINURSO) in El Aaiun. All these harassments, violations, and the confiscation of my civil rights made me illegally leave my country Western Sahara to Spain.
Following the cruel murder of Saharawi citizen Mohamed Lamin Háidala at the hands of the Moroccan police, and on 06/12/2005, I was among the many Saharawis who participated in a demonstration in front of the consulate of Morocco in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ( Canary Islands). Waving the Saharawi flags and banners claiming the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people and demanding the opening of a fair investigation to judge the murderers who have murdered this Saharawi citizen. When the National SpanishPolice came, the Moroccan consul came out to signaled me asking the Police to stop me, and that is how the police officers approached m. They asked me to identify myself for them to write down my info and to verify my identity. Later on, I was summoned to court on the day of 14/09 / 2019. I went there, and as there was no minimum substantial and sufficient evidence, the judge acquitted me, which is something that the Moroccan consul did not like. He then threatened me if I would go to Western Sahara, the Moroccan authorities would arrest me.
On the day of 03/23/2016, I could not travel to Western Sahara to see my brother Abdallah El Ansari after being admitted to the hospital in El Aaiún, who, in turn, fell victim to medical malpractice. He soon died there.
Furthermore, I wanted to attend his funeral on 04/24/2016, but I could not do so due to the threats of the consul and the Moroccan regime.
In February 2017, a Moroccan delegation headed by the mayor of El Aaiun: Moulay Hamdi Ould Errachid was scheduled to come to Las Palmas, and we planned to receive them by Saharawi flags and banners. The next day, we went with Saharawi flags and banners to the soccer field in San Fernando Playa del Inglés and departing from the municipality from San Bartolomé de Tirajana where he is going to celebrate and sign an agreement between the Town Hall of this municipality and the Town Hall of El-Aaiun city. On that specific day, Moulay Hamdi Ould Errachid approached me and told me if I would travel to El Aaiun that he would be personally waiting for me to watch me die a horrible death. On 02/09/2017, after much suffering, my grandmother, Fatma Zaidane, passway, and onceagain I was not able to attend her funeral due to the threats of the consul and the agents of the Moroccan regime. On the day of 03/11/2019, my mother, Magboula Abilil, was admitted to hospital for disease in the right eye. My mother was already suffering from a chronic illness affecting her eye and which made her lose her sigh. Besides, I have a son I missed so much, trapped in Western Sahara, it goes without satying that i miss both my son, my mother and my whole family as well. As long as the ban is placed on my entry into Western Sahara, I will not be able to go there and see my entire family.