Results of the investigation into the Melilla tragedy

Reply to Written question | Doc. 15944 | 21 March 2024

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1491th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (6 March 2024). 2024 - Second part-session

Reply to Written question

: Written question no. 788 (Doc. 15864)

1. In reply to this question regarding the tragic events that took place within Moroccan territory, on the border with Melilla, Spain, the Committee of Ministers has noted the detailed reply of the Spanish Minister of the Interior of 12 July 2022, to the letter of the Commissioner for Human Rights of 1 July 2022.

2. It has also taken note of the statement of the Public Prosecutor's Office that Spain had “no jurisdiction over the actions of Moroccan law enforcement agents in their country, before, during and after the deadly stampede”.

3. The Committee of Ministers has also been informed that the Spanish Public Prosecutor's Office and the Spanish Ombudsman duly conducted preliminary investigations and closed the proceedings they had initiated on this matter, as they saw no evidence of an offence in the actions of the Spanish law enforcement authorities.

4. The Government of Spain promptly informed the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe on this issue, and the report on her visit to Spain (paragraph 126) in November 2022, reflects that the Public Prosecutor's Office closed the preliminary investigations into these events on 22 December 2022.