The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (OMDH) has called for independent investigations into deaths, injuries and alleged human rights violations linked to recent mass migration attempts towards Ceuta and Melilla.
The demand was made in a report presented on Tuesday by the organization at a press conference in Rabat, covering the recent mass crossings towards the two cities.
Calls for independent investigations
The OMDH said any investigation should be “independent” and carried out in both Morocco and Spain, with the findings made public to ensure victims and their families have access to truth, justice and reparation.
The organization also called for the authorities to uphold the right to life, physical integrity and human dignity, while respecting the principles of necessity and proportionality when using force. It urged the establishment of effective rescue, emergency assistance and humanitarian response mechanisms near crossing points.
According to figures cited by the OMDH, around 100 people died by drowning, based on figures from Spanish authorities, while Moroccan authorities put the death toll at 14.
The report also documented injuries among migrants attempting to cross the border and members of the security forces. It said nearly 100 people were detained in connection with the Ceuta incidents and around 50 more following the attempted crossing into Melilla, stressing the need to respect fair-trial guarantees.
On July 30 and 31, tens of thousands of people - more than 70,000 according to Spanish official estimates - crossed towards Ceuta by land and sea. The events caused major disruption in the city and left at least 141 victims, according to humanitarian organizations.
Morocco last Saturday also thwarted another mass attempt to cross into Ceuta involving hundreds of sub-Saharan migrants, nearly 300 of whom were detained.
OMDH urges greater protection for vulnerable migrants
The rights group called for particular attention to unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers. It said returns should be “voluntary and individual” and rejected collective expulsions and forced repatriations.
The OMDH said a “large number” of migrants who remain in Ceuta lack adequate food, water, accommodation and healthcare. Some, it said, are sleeping on the streets, in overcrowded spaces or on beaches that have been turned into makeshift camps.
The organization warned that inadequate accommodation and a lack of basic services were increasing risks for women, girls and children, particularly unaccompanied minors. It also referred to testimonies of assaults and violence, including sexual violence.
It called on the Spanish authorities to provide migrants remaining in Ceuta with food, water, accommodation and medical and psychological care, while establishing sufficient reception centres for women and minors and supporting civil society groups providing humanitarian assistance.
The OMDH also urged faster coordination between Spanish and Moroccan authorities to identify the bodies of Moroccan victims still being held in morgues in Ceuta and return them to their families.
It said migration cannot be addressed solely through security measures and barriers, arguing that the response should also tackle school dropout rates, improve education and employment opportunities and strengthen social and territorial justice.
Feminist groups warn over risks to women and girls
Separately, the “Spring of Dignity” coalition, which brings together dozens of Moroccan feminist associations, called on the Moroccan state to provide comprehensive protection and safe reception for migrant women and girls facing a critical humanitarian situation.
In a statement, the coalition held the Moroccan and Spanish governments responsible for the “aggravated” suffering faced by women and girls because of their gender and their exposure to sexual exploitation, which it said has serious consequences for their physical and mental health.
The coalition also argued that a security-based response cannot provide a lasting solution to mass migration attempts. It called instead for economic, social and cultural policies aimed at addressing poverty and ensuring decent living conditions, freedom, equality and social justice.
