EU wants investigation into Spanish border guard shootings

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 14.02.14
Publication Date 14/02/2014
Content Type

Despite repeated denials by the central government delegate in Ceuta and the director general of the Civil Guard, Arsenio Fernández de Mesa, the Spanish interior minister confirmed on the 13 February 2014 that rubber bullets were used to repel a mass attempt by would-be immigrants to reach European soil via the Ceuta border fence the previous week.

Subsequently, the European Commission said it wanted answers to questions about the incident.

Amnesty International called for a full, effective and independent investigation.

El País and the BBC reported that at least 200 migrants were taken to a temporary shelter in Melilla on the 28 February 2014 after they successfully reached Spanish territory when they stormed a border fence shortly after dawn.

In early March 2014 Euronews and other news sources reported that in two further waves over 1,500 people had tried to illegally breach Spain’s border with Morocco.

On the 4 March 2014 Spain’s Interior Minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz said: 'There is a huge wave of migration, with thousands and thousands of people trying to enter illegally in Spain and so in the European Union'.

The Spanish government wanted €45m from the European Commission in the form of an extraordinary and urgent payment to help confront the 'emergency situation' in Ceuta and Melilla.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://euobserver.com/justice/123151
Related Links
ESO: Background information: African immigrants vault Spanish wall in Melilla http://www.europeansources.info/record/african-immigrants-vault-spanish-wall-in-melilla/
El País, 14.02.14: Socialists call for resignation of Civil Guard chief over Ceuta tragedy http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/14/inenglish/1392384318_501563.html
El País, 13.02.14: Minister admits use of rubber bullets in Ceuta immigrant tragedy http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/13/inenglish/1392296898_289025.html
ESO: Background information: Commission warns Italy over degrading treatment of immigrants http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-warns-italy-over-degrading-treatment-of-immigrants/
ESO: Background information: Tragic accident outside Lampedusa: Statement by European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-tragic-accident-outside-lampedusa-statement-by-european-commissioner-for-home-affairs-cecilia-malmstrom/
ESO: Background information: Italian navy rescues thousands of African migrants / Migrants rescued off Italy and Greece http://www.europeansources.info/record/italian-navy-rescues-thousands-of-african-migrants-migrants-rescued-off-italy-and-greece/
Amnesty International, 14.02.14: Spain: Accountability urged for ‘appalling’ migrant deaths in Ceuta http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/spain-accountability-urged-appalling-migrant-deaths-ceuta-2014-02-14
Human Rights Watch: Press Release, 10.02.14: Morocco: Abuse of Sub-Saharan Migrants http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/02/10/morocco-abuse-sub-saharan-migrants
eldiario.es, 17.02.14: Dead refugees are Spain's shame (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE138505-Dead-refugees-are-Spain-s-shame
El País, 18.02.14: Brussels denies receiving Spain’s request for border help http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/18/inenglish/1392745992_847962.html
El País, 19.02.14: Immigration law change in works: interior minister http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/18/inenglish/1392753587_615740.html
El País, 25.02.14: Interior Ministry orders patrols not to fire rubber bullets at immigrants http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/25/inenglish/1393353134_309242.html
El País, 24.02.14: 100 immigrants force their way into Melilla, says Civil Guard http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/24/inenglish/1393238141_294262.html
BBC News, 28.02.14: African migrants storm into Spanish enclave of Melilla http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26382589
El País, 28.02.14: More than 200 migrants successfully cross the Melilla border http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/28/inenglish/1393583467_564241.html
La Vanguardia, 03.03.14: EU must assume responsibility for borders (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE139337-EU-must-assume-responsibility-for-borders
El País, 03.03.14: Spanish government berates European Commission for Ceuta tragedy criticism http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/03/inenglish/1393846313_562333.html
Euronews, 05.03.14: Police stop over 1,500 migrants at Spain-Morocco border http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/05/police-stop-over-1500-migrants-at-spain-morocco-border/
El País, 04.03.14: Largest ever attempt made to storm Ceuta border fence repelled http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/04/inenglish/1393930628_754779.html
El País, 04.03.14: PP blocks calls for investigation into Ceuta immigrant tragedy http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/04/inenglish/1393931221_472262.html
The Guardian, 06.03.14: Spain to raise security around Morocco territories over immigration fears http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/06/spain-security-morocco-territories-immigration
Euronews, 06.03.14: Migrants try to storm Spain’s Melilla enclave in car http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/06/migrants-try-to-storm-spain-s-melilla-enclave-in-car/
The New York Times, 06.03.14: Spain Struggles to Halt Migrants at Two Enclaves http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/world/europe/spain-struggles-to-halt-migrants-at-two-enclaves.html
El País, 07.03.14: Sub-Saharan immigrant dies after being rescued from inflatable craft http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/07/inenglish/1394204459_110058.html
El País, 06.03.14: Interior Minister declares “state emergency” during visit to Melilla http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/06/inenglish/1394124607_675011.html
El Mundo, 18.03.14: EU must start talks on migration with Morocco (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140277-EU-must-start-talks-on-migration-with-Morocco
El País, 18.03.14: Around 500 migrants cross Melilla border in biggest fence jump to date http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/03/18/inenglish/1395150133_092464.html
France 24, 18.03.14: Hundreds of immigrants storm Spanish enclave on Moroccan coast http://www.france24.com/en/20140318-spain-hundreds-immigrants-storm-melilla-morocco-enclave/

Subject Categories
Countries / Regions , ,