Amnesty accuses Spain and Morocco of cover-up over Melilla enclave
migrant deaths
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[June 23, 2023]
By Joan Faus
BARCELONA (Reuters) - Amnesty International on Friday accused Spain and
Morocco of a cover-up for failing to properly investigate events at the
border of the Spanish enclave of Melilla last year, when tens of
migrants and refugees died during a mass attempted crossing. |
Luna Reyes, 20, a member of Spanish Red
Cross, embraces and comforts a migrant Sub-Saharian as he refuses to be
deported to Morocco after he crossed the border swimming from Morocco to
Spain, at El Tarajal beach, after thousands of migrants swam across this
border during last days, in Ceuta, Spain, May 18, 2021. Picture taken
May 18, 2021. REUTERS/Jon Nazca |
On
June 24, 2022, around 2,000 Sub-Saharan African migrants and
refugees attempted to enter Spain's North African enclave from
Morocco. At least 37 died and at least 76 are still missing, the
NGO said.
Morocco said 23 people died in a crush when migrants fell from
the fence, and Spain has said no deaths occurred on its soil.
"One year on from the carnage at Melilla, Spanish and Moroccan
authorities not only continue to deny any responsibility but are
preventing attempts to find the truth," said Amnesty
International's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard.
Amnesty said authorities had failed to make any attempt to
repatriate victims' remains and had not provided a full list of
names and causes of death, as well as CCTV footage which could
inform an investigation.
"The lessons of Melilla must be learned or – as the shipwreck
off the Greek coast shows – arbitrary loss of life, violence and
impunity at borders will continue," Callamard added.
A fishing boat packed with hundreds of migrants sank off
Greece's south-west coast earlier this month, on a journey that
started from Libya and was supposed to end in Italy. At least 82
were killed and hundreds are still missing.
Spain's Attorney General investigated the Melilla incident but
declined to charge Spanish officers who he said had been unaware
of the fatal crush. Spanish lawmakers rejected calls for a
parliamentary inquiry.
The handling of the event by authorities on both sides of the
border was criticised however by rights groups and independent
investigators.
Spain's ombudsman said Spain had returned those who jumped the
fence without processing their cases and the U.N.'s Commissioner
for Human Rights said they found "no genuine and effective
access to asylum at the border".
A spokesman for Spain's Interior Ministry said the investigation
by Spain's Attorney General had been carried out "with full
guarantees and in full depth."
Authorities in Morocco declined a request for comment.
(Reporting by Joan Faus; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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