In the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, 23 reports of sexual offenses have been registered following a mass influx of migrants, with nine of the alleged victims being minors, according to the website infohub.kz.
One of the latest incidents occurred a few days ago. According to the prosecution, a Moroccan citizen harassed a 16-year-old girl on a street in Ceuta. The suspect was arrested near the border with Morocco, where he allegedly attempted to return. On September 7, a court ordered his pretrial detention. The man denies the charges.
The case of the 16-year-old is not isolated. According to the Spanish prosecutor's office, a total of 23 complaints of sexual crimes have been filed since the migrant influx began in late July. Nine victims are reported to be minors. Among the identified suspects are citizens of various countries, including three Spaniards. Investigations are ongoing. All defendants are presumed innocent.
Among the known cases is that of a 17-year-old Moroccan accused of sexually assaulting three girls aged 10 and 11. According to media reports, the girls, like the suspect, arrived in Ceuta from North Africa in late July during the migrant influx and were placed in the 'Piniers' reception center for unaccompanied minors. As reported by the newspaper ABC, the attacks allegedly took place there. Afterward, according to Spanish media, the suspect was beaten by other residents of the center. The Spanish police are investigating. There are suspicions that there may be more victims, so other minors from the facility are being interviewed.
Such incidents exacerbate the tense situation in Ceuta. On September 2, tens of thousands of people protested in many Spanish cities against the government's policy on the migration crisis. Demonstrators demanded the return of migrants and stronger border protection, criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and some called for his resignation.
It is worth noting that most of the people who arrived in Ceuta in late July have returned to Morocco. However, in early September, according to the Spanish government's estimates, about five thousand migrants remained in Ceuta. Local authorities estimated their number at more than ten thousand.
Earlier it was reported that on the night of July 30-31, thousands of Moroccan migrants breached the border in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, prompting the Spanish authorities to mobilize the army. Spanish authorities stressed that by Friday evening, most migrants had left Ceuta and returned to Morocco. Initially, it was reported that at least 57 migrants died in a stampede while trying to reach land over the wall topped with a border fence, and their bodies were recovered from the water.
Furthermore, the Moroccan Ministry of Interior explained the cause of the migrant surge into Spain, linking it to disinformation. Later, migrants from Morocco demanded refugee status from Spain, staging a protest where they presented their demands.