Spain deports 16 migrants from Ceuta in first returns since July surge
Briefing by News4U · First published
Spain deported more than a dozen migrants from its North African enclave of Ceuta after rejecting their asylum claims, the first such returns since a July mass crossing from Morocco; Amnesty International warned their rights may be at risk.
Spain has deported more than a dozen migrants from Ceuta, its North African enclave, in the first returns of their kind since a mass border crossing from Morocco in July, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Spanish Interior Ministry and Reuters. [1]
The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday the deportees' asylum applications had been rejected and Morocco had agreed to receive them. Nongovernmental organisations told Reuters that 16 people from African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries were deported. [1]
About 80,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco over a 48-hour period in late July, and at least 100 people died during the mass crossing into the autonomous city, which has a population of about 80,000. The crisis is a political challenge for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ahead of snap elections on November 29. [1]
Amnesty International said Spain was not ensuring human rights guarantees for people crossing at Ceuta and Melilla. Madrid replied that the European Union considers Morocco a safe country and that deportations are carried out with necessary safeguards. [1]
Sources
- Spain deports migrants from Ceuta in move criticised by rights group
Al Jazeera · · Full text