Today, Amnesty International accused Spain and Morocco of covering up a lack of thorough investigation into the events that took place at the border of the Spanish enclave of Melilla last year, when dozens of migrants and refugees lost their lives during a mass crossing attempt.
Amnesty's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, stated, "A year after the Melilla massacre, both Spanish and Moroccan authorities continue not only to deny any responsibility but also to obstruct attempts to seek the truth."
Amnesty International accused the authorities of making no effort to recover the victims' bodies and failing to provide a complete list of the deceased and the causes of death, as well as surveillance footage that could aid in an investigation.
Callamard added, "Lessons must be learned from Melilla, otherwise, as illustrated by the sinking of a boat off the Greek coast, unnecessary loss of life, violence, and impunity at the borders will continue."
The Spanish public prosecutor has investigated the Melilla incident but refrained from bringing charges against the police officers, stating they were unaware of the deadly stampede. Spanish legislators rejected calls for a parliamentary inquiry.
The Spanish Ombudsman noted that the country had returned those who jumped over the fence without addressing their cases. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights mentioned they found no "real and effective opportunity for asylum at the border."
A spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of Interior indicated that the investigation conducted by the public prosecutor had been "fully guaranteed and thoroughly executed."
On June 24, 2022, around two thousand migrants and refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa attempted to enter the Spanish enclave in North Africa from Morocco. The NGO reported that at least 37 lost their lives and at least 76 remain missing.
Morocco stated that 23 individuals died in the stampede as migrants fell from the fence, while Spain confirmed that there were no fatalities on its territory.
