Dutch-Moroccan Man Detained in Spanish Enclave, Passport Seized Despite EU Citizenship

The situation Karim has been living for a month is worrying. This Moroccan, born in Helmond, the Netherlands, holds a Dutch passport. However, the Spanish authorities do not trust him. They even seized his passport and ordered his detention for a month, reports the site bladna.nl.

The young man, who recounts his misadventure with a lot of bitterness, had just returned from Morocco where he had gone on vacation. On September 3, as he was about to board a boat from Melilla to Malaga, he was apprehended and removed from the line by the Spanish police, who doubt his real identity and the authenticity of his passport.

"I was intimidated and mistreated by these agents. I was not allowed to call, I did not have a lawyer. No one spoke English. I had to sign documents, which I did not understand. I said to myself: after, I can still board the boat. I provided all the details about me, but they think I’m someone else," Karim tries to explain, who was incarcerated for two days. He was then brought before a court before being released. However, he was unable to recover his passport.

Informed of the situation two days later, Karim’s family as well as the Dutch authorities are trying to resolve the situation to allow the young man to return to the Netherlands. In vain so far.