Morocco rights council refers Ceuta stone-throwing case to prosecutors

Morocco’s National Human Rights Council has referred to prosecutors its interview report concerning a young man allegedly targeted with stones by a member of the security forces during mass attempts to enter Ceuta in late July.

A council source told Hespress that the report had been formally submitted to the public prosecutor’s office. Video of the incident circulated widely online.

The council previously said its regional commission for Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima had interviewed the young man after footage appeared to show a member of the security forces threatening his physical safety.

The referral does not establish criminal responsibility. Prosecutors will decide whether the evidence warrants an investigation or further legal action.

The CNDH has also contacted Spain’s Defensor del Pueblo, the parliamentary ombudsman responsible for monitoring public authorities, over alleged violations affecting Moroccan and foreign nationals who entered Ceuta, the source said.

Its letter addressed reported abuses, discrimination by groups described as neo-Nazis and the treatment of children, including respect for their best interests and preservation of family unity.

The communication follows the CNDH’s preliminary findings published on August 7, based on field interviews, digital monitoring and media reports. The council created a monitoring and coordination committee on July 29 involving three regional human rights commissions.

Spain’s ombudsman separately opened an own-initiative inquiry on August 13 into the response of Spanish authorities. It requested information from the Migration Secretariat, Ceuta’s administration, Spain’s attorney general and the central government delegation regarding accommodation, healthcare, food, asylum access and protection for unaccompanied children.

The CNDH is also communicating with Moroccan authorities about identifying people who died during the crossings, its source said.

Ceuta authorities have begun burying unidentified bodies, with more than 40 placed in the Muslim Sidi Embarek cemetery. Other bodies classified as Christian have been buried separately.

Spanish authorities are handling about 82 bodies linked to the events, while Morocco’s Interior Ministry recorded 14 deaths on the Moroccan side. The figures have not been consolidated and should not be added without determining where each person died and excluding possible duplication.