Amnesty International has released a statement condemning the alleged treatment of migrants and asylum seekers in the Spanish city of Ceuta. According to the organization, individuals from the Spanish military, specifically units "Regulares" and "Legion," subjected migrants to torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. This investigation comes after a mass influx of over 80,000 people into Ceuta on July 30 and 31.
Amnesty International visited Ceuta between September 10 and 15, conducting over 65 interviews, including 31 with minors aged 13 to 17 and 26 with women, two of whom were pregnant. The organization collected 22 direct testimonies attributing physical abuse, harassment, insults, theft, and confiscation or destruction of phones to military personnel, without distinction based on age or gender.
The testimonies collected by Amnesty International describe severe physical abuse, including beatings with batons, being thrown off a cliff, and being forced to kneel and kiss a Christian cross. One young man reported being handcuffed with plastic cuffs, gagged, and beaten with batons and fists before being thrown off a cliff. Physical evidence, including signs of handcuffs on the wrists of a Moroccan and an Algerian, and head injuries on two Moroccan men, corroborates these testimonies.
Amnesty International also documented alleged humiliating treatment, including forcing Muslims to kneel and kiss a Christian cross, shaving young men's hair, and denying them sleep and movement. The organization described these actions as part of a pattern of inhumane and degrading treatment. Esteban Beltran, director of Amnesty International's Spanish branch, stated that the organization gives "great credibility to a pattern that is repeated."
The situation in Ceuta remains dire, with thousands of people living on the streets and in informal settlements without access to adequate water, sanitation, or healthcare. According to Amnesty International, 2,383 unaccompanied minors and hundreds of women, some with children, are living in precarious conditions. The organization has called for an urgent and independent investigation, as well as a humanitarian plan to address the crisis.
Amnesty International sent a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Ceuta's regional leader Juan Jesus Vivas, demanding an investigation and measures to hold those responsible accountable. The Spanish Ministry of Defense has referred the complaint to the prosecutor's office and a judge, and has ordered an internal investigation to determine individual responsibilities.
While the allegations are under judicial and military investigation, Amnesty International considers the pattern of abuse to be well-documented and sufficient to warrant accountability. The organization is pushing for those responsible to be held accountable and for measures to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Key points
- Amnesty International documents alleged torture, humiliation of migrants and asylum seekers in Spain's Ceuta
- Spanish military units allegedly involved in abuse of migrants in Ceuta
- Urgent investigation and humanitarian plan called for to address crisis in Ceuta
