While implementing its bans against illegal immigrants, some of the Moroccan authorities have resumed the prosecution of nearly 65 migrants who joined in Friday’s mass attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Melilla by storming a border post and attacking the security officials.
The resulting stampede had led to the estimated death of at least 23 migrants, a judicial source confirmed on Monday.
About 2,000 migrants had taken part in the crosssing attempt, while triggering violent skirmishes with Moroccan security forces and Spanish border guards at the Melilla enclave, with about 100 managing to get across.
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Moroccan authorities had reported that the deaths had resulted from a crush after what they called a stampede by the illegal migrants and from some of the migrants falling from a high fence. Scores more were injured, they said, along with dozens of of some other Moroccan security personnel who had taken the brunt of the stampede.
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) organisation said 29 migrants had died, while citing some unnamed hospital sources.
On Sunday, the African Union voiced shock at what it called the violent treatment of migrants leading to deaths and injuries, and demanded an immediate investigation. Morocco and Spain have denied using excessive force.
The judicial source said most of those being prosecuted are from Sudan and that they face charges of igniting fires, attacking security forces and facilitating illegal border crossings. AMDH said three of its lawyers would help represent the migrants in court.
Many other migrants detained by the authorities on Friday have been bussed to southern Morocco and released there, AMDH said, a practice Rabat began in 2018 to discourage illegal migration attempts.
Video AMDH issued of the aftermath of Friday’s disaster showed dozens of African men lying piled alongside each other, many apparently lifeless, some bleeding and some making feeble movements while Moroccan police stood over them.
AMDH said the injured were left unattended for hours, adding to the death toll. Some of the footage showed Moroccan security officers striking men lying on the ground.
Moroccan authorities shared their own footage of the border storming with African ambassadors, an official source said, including police efforts to clear migrant camps from forest areas near the enclave before the raid.
