Jorge Hinojosa
THE Spanish government has been heavily criticised in the latest report by Amnesty International over its treatment of migrants.
The NGO accused Spain of ‘double standards’ in its welcoming of Afghan and Ukrainian refugees while treating those arriving from Africa with ‘extreme brutality’..
“When it comes to those arriving from Africa, those who are also fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries, the treatment is quite different,” said the analysis on Spain contained with the 2021/2022 report.
“We cannot one day welcome with open arms those who escape from war, and the next day beat with extreme brutality those who jump the fence in Melilla,” said Esteban Beltran, the director of Amnesty in Spain, in an interview with state broadcaster RTVE.
“It is incoherent to demand a coordinated and open response for refugees in the European Union, and then carry out rapid expulsions, even of minors, and justify everything ion immigration control,” explained Beltran.
He added:”Spanish authorities must decide whether they want to comply with international law at their borders, or if they’re only going to do so when it serves their own interest.”
The report also points out that the reception centres for migrants arriving in the Canary Islands do not meet required standards describing them as ‘overcrowded and precarious’.
It blamed poor management and bad organisation and said the poor conditions were avoidable.
The report states that during 2021, a total of 22,200 people arrived in the Canary Island with at least 955 including 80 children drowning on the journey.
In May 2021 alone, some 8,000 migrants crossed into Spain’s Ceuta from Morocco including 2,000 minors. WIthin a short time 2,700 had been returned to Morocco, a fact that has been condemned as illegal.
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