The Moroccan CNDH creates an “information” commission on the deaths at the Melilla border

June 27. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Moroccan National Human Rights Council (CNDH) –an independent state body– announced this Monday the creation of an “information” commission on the death of at least 23 sub-Saharan immigrants that occurred last Friday during an attempt to jump from the Melilla fence.

“By order of its president, a delegation from the CNDH will carry out a reconnaissance mission in the city of Nador and its surroundings after the tragic and violent events resulting from the attempted crossing of hundreds of migrants,” the CNDH reported in a statement collected. by the Moroccan news agency, MAP.

In any case, the organization’s Eastern Regional Commission and its representatives in Nador have confirmed that “a large number of people” tried to jump the fence and that the photographs and videos published about what happened “are not related to the attempted illegal trafficking of migrants and contain erroneous information and data “about the operation and its consequences,” according to MAP.

The coordinator of the commission will be Mohamed Amarti, president of the Regional Human Rights Commission of the East, and the president of the CRDH of Sus-Masa, Mohamed Charef; the director of monitoring and protection of human rights of the CNDH, Abderrafie Hamdi; the doctor and member of the CRDH Oriental Adil Sehimi and the also member of the CRDH Oriental Malika Daudi.

At least 23 migrants died due to the intervention of the Moroccan security forces during the attempt of more than 2,000 sub-Saharans to cross the Melilla fence last Friday, according to sources from the authorities cited by the Moroccan official press. NGOs warn that the deceased could be many more.

After the clashes, the Moroccan security forces handcuffed and piled up immobilized migrants on the ground in the streets of Chinatown in the city of Nador, some images and videos published on social networks by the AMDH and that have gone around the world.

This Monday, AMDH-Nador has reported that up to 30 immigrants who were arrested on Friday have appeared before the Nador Court of Appeals for serious crimes and misdemeanors such as disobedience, belonging to a gang to facilitate the departure of foreigners from national territory, aggression against public officials, arson, armed assembly or arrest of a public official.

Provisional detention has been ordered for all of them at least until the next hearing, set for July 13. AMDH has provided lawyers for all detainees.