A report by the Moroccan National Human Rights Council (CNDH) has prompted Spanish police unions to reject accusations of mistreatment against migrants in Ceuta. The Sindicato Unificado de Policía (SUP) denied widespread misconduct by Spanish officers and said specific allegations should be investigated and backed by clear evidence. The union warned against blaming the entire police force without substantiated proof.
The CNDH, an official Moroccan human rights body, based its findings on testimonies from people returned to Morocco. Its report says several migrants described abuse and aggression by Spanish security forces, particularly in areas without surveillance-camera coverage. The council advises the Moroccan government and is led by a president appointed by King Mohammed VI. It has criticized Spanish authorities before: in a 2022 report, it held Spanish police responsible for deaths during the Melilla border incident, which took place on Moroccan soil.
The CNDH findings form part of a broader dispute over the aftermath of a major migration episode in late July 2026. Separately, the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) alleged forced returns, obstacles to recovering migrants’ bodies and gaps in protection and healthcare, along with possible assaults and sexual exploitation involving migrant minors. Civil-society organizations cited in an Infobae agency report put the death toll at at least 140. These are AMDH’s allegations, separate from the CNDH findings.
SUP has stressed how difficult it is to establish what caused injuries during the border crisis. It pointed to the CNDH report’s description of a chaotic scene, with clashes and stone-throwing, as people grew exhausted and were injured while trying to cross the border, often by swimming. The union said complaints should identify what happened, where and when, and who was involved, so each allegation can be examined individually.
Spanish government figures reported on 21 October put the number of people who had returned to Morocco from Ceuta since 10 August at 12,705. Inclusion Minister and government spokesperson Elma Saiz said 12,142 had returned voluntarily and 536 had been expelled. Those figures add up to 12,678, 27 fewer than the reported total. The same government balance said 3,331 minors remained in Ceuta’s protection system.
Migrant-support organizations have challenged the official description of most returns as voluntary. Reuters reported that eight charities, including Oxfam and Amnesty International, lodged a complaint with Spain’s ombudsman alleging “grave rights violations” during efforts to reduce the number of migrants in Ceuta. The complaint alleged that some people were returned without interpreters or legal assistance. It also cited claims that migrants from Sudan and Chad were summoned by police on 24 and 25 September, then deported without warning. At least nine nongovernmental organizations told Reuters that some migrants had been coerced.
The controversy comes amid concerns about pressure on police and the capacity of local protection services. SUP has argued that Ceuta and Melilla need adequate security resources, saying that “protecting mainland Spain must not mean weakening Ceuta and Melilla.” Separately, a Spanish National Police operation in Ceuta’s El Príncipe district uncovered 74 migrants in a two-storey residence with one toilet and no shower. The group included 54 adult men, 10 women and 10 unaccompanied minors. Police arrested a man suspected of involvement in a criminal organization linked to facilitating irregular migration and exploitation. Investigators also examined allegations of injuries and labor exploitation, as well as assaults on children, including dog-bite injuries.
SUP has also questioned the actions of Moroccan authorities, citing the CNDH’s statement that a rise in attempted crossings at El Tarajal had been anticipated weeks earlier. The report said the council had monitored 23 social media groups with more than a million members, where calls to approach the border circulated. SUP argues that any assessment should consider the Spanish police response after the border was overwhelmed and the factors on the Moroccan side that contributed to the escalation.
Spanish authorities continue to address the crisis, including caring for minors and trying to reunite unaccompanied children with their families, as detailed in a report on Spain's response to the Ceuta migrant crisis. Ceuta remains a focal point for migration between Africa and Europe. Competing accounts of returns, alleged mistreatment, pressure on police and exploitation have kept scrutiny on how authorities on both sides of the border respond. The dispute over the CNDH report has renewed calls for transparent, evidence-based investigations into individual allegations.
