Spain deports migrants from Ceuta in move criticised by rights group

The deportation was the first of its kind since a mass border crossing into the territory from Morocco in July.

A migrant cooks outside his shack at the makeshift migrant camp on El Trampolín beach on September 24, 2026 in Ceuta, Spain [Manu Brabo/Getty Images]

Spain has deported more than a dozen migrants from its North African enclave of Ceuta, prompting criticism from Amnesty International, which said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s left-wing government was endangering their human rights.

It was the first deportation of its kind since a mass border crossing into the territory from Morocco in July.

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The Spanish Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that it had deported the migrants from Ceuta after their asylum applications were rejected, and that Morocco had agreed to receive them.

Nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) told the Reuters news agency that 16 people from African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries had been deported.

About 80,000 people entered from Morocco over a 48-hour period in late July. At least 100 people died during the mass crossing into the autonomous city, which covers just 18.5 square kilometres (7.2sq miles) and has a population of about 80,000.

The crisis has evolved into a major political challenge for Sanchez, who is seeking re-election in snap polls scheduled for November 29.

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered across Spain in recent months to denounce the government’s handling of the situation. Meanwhile, right-wing parties have used the crisis to attack Sanchez.

The leader of the far-right Vox Party, Santiago Abascal, has branded the prime minister a “traitor”.

Human rights guarantees

Amnesty International has warned that the human rights of those deported from Ceuta on Tuesday could be at risk.

“Spain, despite its [progressive] speeches in Europe, is not ensuring that human rights guarantees are met for people who cross its borders in Ceuta and Melilla,” said Virginia Alvarez, an Amnesty International researcher.

“Morocco does not respect many human rights.”

However, Madrid disputes the rights group’s accusations. In a statement, the interior ministry told Reuters that the European Union considers Morocco to be a safe country, adding that deportations are carried out “with all the necessary safeguards”.

Most of those who entered Ceuta in late July left within days. However, about 8,000 migrants still remain. Some are sleeping on the streets, while others are being housed by Spain, charities and civil society groups.

这是自7月份摩洛哥大规模越境进入该地区以来的首次此类驱逐行动。

2026年9月24日，在西班牙休达埃尔特兰波林海滩的临时移民营地，一名移民在他的棚屋外做饭。[Manu Brabo/Getty Images]

西班牙已从其北非飞地休达驱逐了十几名移民，此举引发了国际特赦组织的批评。该组织表示，首相佩德罗·桑切斯的左翼政府正在危及他们的人权。

这是自7月份摩洛哥大规模越境进入该地区以来，首次进行此类驱逐行动。

列表 1/3：欧洲陷入困境，却把责任归咎于穆斯林

意大利和西班牙在休达问题上持续数月紧张后解除边境管制（共3条记录中的第2条）

摩洛哥警方拦截游回休达的移民（共3条记录，此为第3条）

西班牙内政部周二表示，在移民的庇护申请被驳回后，已将这些移民从休达驱逐出境，摩洛哥已同意接收他们。

非政府组织（NGO）告诉路透社，来自非洲、中东和亚洲国家的16人已被驱逐出境。

7月下旬的48小时内，约有8万人从摩洛哥进入该市。在这次大规模越境进入这座面积仅18.5平方公里（7.2平方英里）、人口约8万的自治市的过程中，至少有100人死亡。

这场危机已经演变成桑切斯面临的一项重大政治挑战，他正在寻求在11月29日举行的提前选举中连任。

近几个月来，数万名抗议者聚集在西班牙各地，谴责政府对局势的处理方式。与此同时，右翼政党则利用这场危机攻击桑切斯。

极右翼政党Vox党的领导人圣地亚哥·阿巴斯卡尔称总理为“叛徒”。

人权保障

国际特赦组织警告称，周二从休达被驱逐出境者的人权可能面临风险。

“尽管西班牙在欧洲发表了（进步的）言论，但它并没有确保从休达和梅利利亚越境的人们的人权得到保障，”国际特赦组织研究员弗吉尼亚·阿尔瓦雷斯说。

“摩洛哥不尊重许多人权。”

然而，马德里方面否认了人权组织的指控。摩洛哥内政部在一份声明中告诉路透社，欧盟认为摩洛哥是一个安全的国家，并补充说，遣返行动“采取了所有必要的保障措施”。

7月下旬进入休达的大部分人几天内就离开了。然而，仍有约8000名移民滞留。一些人露宿街头，另一些人则由西班牙政府、慈善机构和民间团体安置。