The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights has sounded the alarm regarding the situation of Moroccans who entered the occupied city of Ceuta during the recent mass crossing. The organization stressed that protecting their lives, safety, and dignity is an urgent priority, calling on the Spanish authorities – as the responsible party in the city – to take immediate action and implement the necessary measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation and ensure the protection of all individuals without discrimination, within a human rights framework and in accordance with Spain's international obligations.
In a statement received, the Moroccan human rights organization called for a judicial investigation into allegations of abuse in all its forms, particularly sexual abuse and harassment – according to some testimonies – suffered by some Moroccan citizens in Ceuta, especially women, girls, and minors. The organization also called for providing psychological and legal support to the victims. Furthermore, it emphasized the need for urgent measures to protect women and minors from all forms of violence, exploitation, and human trafficking.
She stated that a number of citizens who crossed into the occupied city of Ceuta and remain there, including children and minors, are facing severe shortages of food and water. They rely almost entirely on limited aid provided by residents of Moroccan origin in Ceuta and some local associations. Many are also homeless, living on the streets or in overcrowded squares lacking basic safety, health, and care, which exposes their lives and physical and psychological well-being to serious risks. This is especially concerning given the reported cases of violence and assaults, which necessitate urgent and effective protective measures that address the suffering of those who have arrived in the city.
Severe shortages of food, water and healthcare
The Spanish authorities were urged to intervene urgently to ensure the provision of food, water, shelter, and all basic necessities to those in the occupied city of Ceuta, in a manner that respects human dignity and protects the most vulnerable groups. Furthermore, measures were called for to ensure effective access to healthcare and treatment for all those stranded in the city, safeguarding their physical and mental well-being.
The National Human Rights Council also noted that the mass crossing attempts undertaken by young people and minors towards Ceuta and Melilla cannot be reduced to a traditional approach that links migration solely to vulnerability or poverty. It called for an understanding of the complexities of the phenomenon, recognizing, in part, that it is a personal decision linked to a profound shift in aspirations for crossing from one place to another, within digital societies that inherently reject the logic of borders and barriers. The Council also warned of the serious repercussions of the political exploitation of mass crossings and condemned the growing anti-immigrant rhetoric, the incitement to hatred and racism against foreigners, and the increasing levels of xenophobia.
In a report obtained , the Council expressed serious concerns regarding respect for and guarantee of human rights during the crossings. It documented instances of physical harm inflicted on migrants by Moroccan and Spanish authorities, as well as instances of harm inflicted on members of the Moroccan security forces. The report also noted instances where Moroccan authorities failed to respect the rules and standards governing the use of force, particularly the principles of necessity and proportionality, and imposed restrictions on the movement of large numbers of young people heading north.
On the Spanish side, the report stated that local authorities in Ceuta decided to close restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets, depriving thousands of migrants, including children, women, and vulnerable individuals, of water and food. The report also documented cases of racist and xenophobic attacks and harassment, inadequate assistance and protection for migrants, and failure to adhere to due legal guarantees in cases of return or deportation, including those related to access to asylum procedures for foreigners.
However, the African Center for Strategic Studies and Digitalization offered a different interpretation of the events in Ceuta in an analytical paper. The center asserted that the Ceuta and Melilla crisis cannot be reduced to a supposed "conspiracy," a mere border breach, or a moral judgment against the youth. It stated, "It is a revealing incident where accumulated economic and social fragility converged with a digital rumor thatlowered the threshold for decision-making, a vacuum in mediation, a gap between declared security measures and public communication, and European borders highly susceptible to political manipulation. Above all, it is a test of the value of human life in public affairs: Is human dignity preserved in life? Is the individual recognized, their fate revealed, and their family supported in case of loss?"
The analysis noted that Morocco "has demonstrated its ability to stabilize indicators and build major assets, but the next test is translating this capital into productive work, professional dignity, and measurable confidence in the possibility of progress within the country."
The African Centre, in its analysis, stated that it does not view what happened as “merely a border breach, nor as fodder for partisan bidding or ammunition in a diplomatic dispute, nor as a judgment on the patriotism or morality of young people. The incident is not a referendum on the youth’s love for their country, but rather a stress test of the development model, the labor market, institutional mediation, and the ability of institutions to foresee social tensions before they erupt in a shocking moment.”
It continued, “The deeper question is not simply: Why did these people act? But what makes the sea, the fence, or a digital rumor, at a particular moment, seem closer to some young people than a decent opportunity within their own country? What makes a working person, a student, or an unemployed individual willing to spend what they have, and jeopardize their safety and future, based on a window of opportunity whose legitimacy they have not verified?”
He concluded that this crisis is seen as a test of the value of human beings in public action, revealing gaps in development, employment, mediation, and communication, and highlighting the dangers of digital platforms becoming faster than institutions, rumors more convincing than public discourse, and imagined departures more palatable than the path to progress within the country.
The African Centre, in its analysis, stated that it does not view what happened as “merely a border breach, nor as fodder for partisan bidding or ammunition in a diplomatic dispute, nor as a judgment on the patriotism or morality of young people. The incident is not a referendum on the youth’s love for their country, but rather a stress test of the development model, the labor market, institutional mediation, and the ability of institutions to foresee social tensions before they erupt in a shocking moment.”
It continued, “The deeper question is not simply: Why did these people act? But what makes the sea, the fence, or a digital rumor, at a particular moment, seem closer to some young people than a decent opportunity within their own country? What makes a working person, a student, or an unemployed individual willing to spend what they have, and jeopardize their safety and future, based on a window of opportunity whose legitimacy they have not verified?”
He concluded that this crisis is seen as a test of the value of human beings in public action, revealing gaps in development, employment, mediation, and communication, and highlighting the dangers of digital platforms becoming faster than institutions, rumors more convincing than public discourse, and imagined departures more palatable than the path to progress within the country.
The question posed by the African Center in its analytical paper is not simply, "Who is to blame?" but rather, how can we make staying in Morocco a rational and dignified choice, emigration a legal and informed path, honest work a viable route for advancement, and public institutions a trusted interlocutor in whose capacity young people can listen and act?
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