The Spanish judicial system officially opened an investigation on Monday, September 7, into the entry of tens of thousands of migrants into the North African enclave of Ceita in late July. Judge Maria Tardon of the National Court of Spain, the high court in Madrid that handles cases involving offenses committed abroad, pointed to clear actions from Morocco that facilitated the crossing.
The judge said the events could constitute several crimes, including those that «harm the peace or independence of the state» of Spain. She also noted that using migration flows is a tactic of «hybrid warfare». In her report, she wrote that waves of migrants of varying size and composition overwhelmed Spain’s border‑control capacity and resulted in a «mass violation of the territorial sovereignty of Spain».
Investigation details and positions of the parties
Judge Maria Tardon relies, in part, on a Spanish police report published in the press last week and reviewed by AFP. The document states that the entry of more than 70,000 people into the small territory of Ceuta was not an «accidental, episodic or spontaneous act».
According to the report, uniformed Moroccan security forces not only showed «lenient behavior» by failing to «disperse or push back» people from the border area, but also provided «active accompaniment», giving instructions on how to cross into Ceuta.
The government of Pedro Sanchez has repeatedly said there is currently no «solid evidence» that Morocco, which claims sovereignty over Ceuta, encouraged the mass entry of migrants. Moroccan authorities have not officially responded to the police report, though the country’s press described it as «poorly prepared», «devoid of evidence» and «subjective».
In addition to possible offenses against the peace of the state, the judge is also examining crimes against the rights of foreign nationals, including those that could be classified as «involuntary manslaughter». At least 83 people died while trying to reach Ceuta by swimming.
Within hours of the mass arrival, most migrants returned to Morocco, but several thousand remained in the enclave. The situation in Ceuta remains tense, and local residents have already held several protests demanding the expulsion of the migrants.
Source: BFMTV
