Spain Calls for Review of Morocco Migration Pact After Deadly Melilla Border Incident

CEDRE has "condemned" the "extreme" violence with which these migrants were repressed, and expressed "its indignation and pain" for the some 23 migrants killed and dozens injured, according to EFE. These acts are "unacceptable in democratic countries like Spain and those that make up the European Union," the body said, recalling that "the use of force must always be guided by the principle of proportionality and respect for human rights".

"If a country is not capable of respecting these basic principles, it cannot be part of a migration control agreement with Spain," stressed the Council, which calls for a review of the migration agreements with Morocco "to ensure respect for the specific clauses on respect and guarantee of human rights". This revision must necessarily include "a commitment not to resort to excessive use of force," it insists.

Welcoming the opening of investigations by the Spanish prosecutor’s office and the ombudsman, CEDRE also recommends that "an independent, rapid and rigorous investigation" be carried out in order to elucidate the facts, identify the deceased and injured, prosecute the alleged perpetrators and compensate the victims and their families. According to the Council, this investigation must be carried out by the Moroccan authorities, in collaboration with Spain and the EU.

CEDRE also calls for a firm "commitment" from the Moroccan and Spanish authorities in favor of legal, orderly and safe migration, in accordance with the Global Compact on Migration agreed in December 2018 at the Marrakech conference. The Ministries of the Interior, Justice, and Education and Vocational Training, members of the Council, have expressed their disagreement with these proposals.