Morocco Refuses to Repatriate Moroccan Man’s Body for Burial
A Moroccan man living in Spain who died of natural causes at a hospital in Ceuta cannot be buried in his home country. His family has taken the necessary steps to repatriate his body, but Moroccan authorities have refused to let it cross the border. The refusal adds to the impasse over the victims of the July migration crisis.
The family simply wanted to bring the deceased back to his hometown so he could be buried in Morocco. The man, a Moroccan national with a Spanish residence permit, died of natural causes at the University Hospital of Ceuta. His relatives arranged for his repatriation, but the coffin was not allowed to cross the Tarajal border post.
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According to information published on Wednesday, November 11, by the Spanish daily El Faro de Ceuta, the formalities were initiated with the Moroccan authorities in Tétouan, who are responsible for authorizing the transport of bodies. The file was then sent to Rabat, where the final decision was to be made. The response was negative, with no official explanation given to the family.
The EFE news agency also obtained confirmation of the refusal from Spanish police sources. The deceased had been fully identified, and his relatives had made clear their wish to bury him in Morocco, with his family. Their efforts did not secure the authorization needed to transfer him.
A deadlock dating back to the July migration crisis
The case comes amid a disagreement between Moroccan and Spanish authorities over the repatriation of bodies found after the deadly events of July 30 and 31 in Ceuta. According to EFE, requests to transfer 90 bodies have remained blocked since the crisis.
In August, Morocco’s Justice Minister, Abdellatif Ouahbi, set two conditions for their repatriation: the submission of forensic reports to verify the victims’ identities, and the return of Moroccan minors in Ceuta. He said Moroccan authorities did not have all the necessary information about the deceased.
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The latest refusal concerns a different situation, however. The man lived in Spain and died of natural causes in hospital. Moroccan authorities have given no specific reason to explain why his repatriation was blocked.
According to El Faro de Ceuta, difficulties transferring bodies have led some families to arrange funerals in the Spanish city. For relatives who remain in Morocco, the lack of a visa allowing them to enter Ceuta may also prevent them from attending the burial.
