The investigation into the deaths of 37 migrants on the Moroccan-Spanish border “smacks of a cover-up,” according to the rights organization Amnesty International.
Its report finds “evidence of international law violations at the Melilla border,” where at least 37 Sub-Saharan African migrants died on June 24 while attempting to cross from Morocco into Spain.
Death on the Border, a BBC Africa Eye investigation, also uncovered evidence contradicting the official version of events.
The official death toll has since been raised from 23 to 37, citing “excessive and lethal use of force by Moroccan and Spanish law enforcement authorities.”
Amnesty International’s report comes six months after the tragedy.
“The use of unlawful force in Melilla has left an indelible stain not only on the hands of Moroccan and Spanish security forces but also on the hands of all those pushing racist migration policies based on the likelihood of harm and violence against those seeking to cross borders,” Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said.
“Rather than fortifying borders, authorities must open safe and legal routes for people seeking safety in Europe,” she continues.
The authorities in Spain and Morocco have declined to comment on the new allegations.
