Political Rights | -3 / 40 |
Civil Liberties | 7 / 60 |
Freedom in the World reports assess the level of political rights and civil liberties in a given geographical area, regardless of whether they are affected by the state, nonstate actors, or foreign powers. Disputed territories are sometimes assessed separately if they meet certain criteria, including boundaries that are sufficiently stable to allow year-on-year comparisons. For more information, see the report methodology and FAQ.
Morocco has claimed authority over Western Sahara since 1975, but the United Nations considers it a “non-self-governing territory.” Morocco controls the most populous area along the Atlantic coastline, more than three-quarters of the territory; this area, which the Moroccan government calls the “Southern Provinces,” is represented in that country’s parliament. The Polisario Front controls land in Western Sahara’s eastern and southern reaches. Rabat regularly offers autonomy; the Polisario demands an independence referendum. A 1991 UN–brokered cease-fire deteriorated in 2020, and conflict continues in the territory. Civil liberties are severely restricted in Moroccan-controlled territory, especially relating to independence activism; civil liberties are also curtailed in Polisario-controlled territory.
- In October, two journalists from the all-volunteer Equipe Media group, Ahmed Ettanji and Mohamed Mayara, were arrested by Moroccan authorities and expelled from Boujdour during a reporting trip and to visit family. In November, Equipe Media reported that Mayara had been attacked in Laayoune by individuals they believed to be linked with Moroccan authorities, and published photos of the journalist with an injury to his face. Equipe Media has long faced harassment by Moroccan authorities.
- In May, the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO)—the Polisario’s humanitarian group dealing with explosive remnants of war—released a report on civilian casualties resulting from the Moroccan army’s use of military drones in the region. The report said that amid conflict between Moroccan and Sahrawi forces, 73 Moroccan drone attacks on civilians between 2021 and 2023 had resulted in 160 civilian casualties, including 80 fatalities among Sahrawi, Mauritanian, and Algerian nationals.
- In April, researchers from Cisco Talos and the Yahoo Advanced Cyber Threats Team found new mobile malware masquerading as a Sahrawi news app. Beginning in January, the malware reportedly targeted human rights activists associated with the Sahrawi self-determination movement in Western Sahara and Morocco.
- In October, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) blocked the European Union (EU) from including Western Sahara in its trade and fishery agreements with Morocco. The ruling, a victory for the Polisario Front, meant that the EU cannot recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara or include it in bilateral agreements with Morocco. It additionally meant that that Moroccan authorities must obtain the consent of the Sahrawi people when entering into agreements relating to their territory, and take measures to ensure they benefit from the exploitation of their natural resources.
This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.
For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 0 / 4 |
Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 0 / 4 |
Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 0 / 4 |
Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 0 / 4 |
Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 0 / 4 |
Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 0 / 4 |
Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 0 / 4 |
Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 0 / 4 |
Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 0 / 4 |
Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 0 / 4 |
Is the government or occupying power deliberately changing the ethnic composition of a country or territory so as to destroy a culture or tip the political balance in favor of another group? | -3 |
Are there free and independent media? | 0 / 4 |
Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 2 / 4 |
Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 0 / 4 |
Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 1 / 4 |
Is there freedom of assembly? | 0 / 4 |
Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 0 / 4 |
Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 0 / 4 |
Is there an independent judiciary? | 0 / 4 |
Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 0 / 4 |
Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 0 / 4 |
Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 0 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 1 / 4 |
Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 1 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 2 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 0 / 4 |