Spain: Amnesty International details abuse of migrants

Thousands of migrants risked their lives to make the perilous journey from Africa to Spain and other European Union countries last year, in a desperate bid to seek a life free from destitution and war. Many fare little better when they reach their supposed destination of safety.

The report raises serious concerns over the mistreatment and death of migrants trying to cross the Spanish Moroccan border at the Spanish enclave regions of Ceuta and Melilla.

Amnesty states that asylum-seekers it interviewed had not been given any legal assistance upon entry into Spanish territory, or given an opportunity to apply for asylum status. A spokesperson said, “The authorities of Spain and Morocco not only used excessive force to forcibly return migrants and asylum-seekers, in many cases they expelled them immediately and en masse to countries where they could be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.”

Spain and Morocco have signed “readmission agreements,” which enable them to deport people to countries where they face the risk of serious human rights violations. This practice, known as refoulement, is prohibited under international refugee law.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/migr-d01.shtml