Moroccan authorities expelled two Italian journalists from Western Sahara on April 27, 2025, prompting international condemnation. Freelance journalist Matteo Garavoglia and photographer Giovanni Colmoni were detained upon arrival in Laayoune, the region’s capital, and swiftly deported. Moroccan officials cited their lack of official authorization and a previous attempt to enter the region by air as grounds for their expulsion.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticized the deportation, with regional director Sara Qudah describing it as part of Morocco’s “repressive media blockade” in Western Sahara. Qudah emphasized the need for independent reporting in a region where transparency is severely limited. Similarly, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has repeatedly called on Morocco to end restrictions on reporting in the territory, highlighting the arbitrary control over media and the detention of reporters during demonstrations.
Since 2014, Morocco has expelled over 300 foreign observers, including journalists, human rights activists, and legal professionals, from Western Sahara. These expulsions aim to prevent investigations into violations of international humanitarian law and to maintain a media blackout on the situation in the occupied territory.
The expulsion of Garavoglia and Colmoni underscores the ongoing challenges faced by journalists seeking to report on human rights issues in Western Sahara. International organizations continue to advocate for greater press freedom and accountability in the region.
