Spain refers Amnesty report on military abuse in Ceuta to prosecutors after 80,000 border arrivals

Military inquiry and court referral

Spain's Ministry of Defence referred an Amnesty International dossier on 30 September 2026 to the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ceuta Duty Court. The report outlines documented allegations of torture, severe physical beatings, and degrading treatment carried out by armed forces personnel stationed in the North African enclave. Defence Minister Margarita Robles instructed the Operations Command (MOPS) to initiate an internal investigation to clarify individual military responsibility. Defence officials emphasized that the internal and judicial proceedings seek to safeguard the conduct and reputation of the armed forces, specifically focusing on units from the Spanish Legion and the Regulares deployed to control borders and patrol public areas.

Documented abuse and migrant testimonies

The inquiry follows a five-day fact-finding mission conducted by Amnesty International between 10 and 15 September 2026, two months after an estimated 80,000 individuals crossed the border into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. Human rights delegates interviewed 65 migrants and asylum seekers, recording 22 direct testimonies that accused patrolling soldiers of physical violence, robbery of money, and destruction or confiscation of mobile phones. Approximately half of those reporting abuses were minors. Documented testimonies included victims being immobilized with zip ties, placed into vehicle boots, gagged, and struck repeatedly with fists and batons. Another individual reported being thrown from a height near the Ermita de San Antonio, leaving him unable to walk for 25 days. Witnesses also reported soldiers operating in hoods during night patrols to conceal their identities, forcing migrants to kneel, cutting their hair, and compelling them to kiss Christian crosses.

“This is not a thing of the past; the attacks are still happening, the latest one took place a couple of days ago.”

Humanitarian strain and healthcare discrimination

Living conditions for individuals remaining in the exclave remain severe across urban areas. Between 500 and 700 unaccompanied minors sleep rough on city streets out of 2,383 identified by local authorities, alongside approximately 800 women, many caring for young children. Migrants receive only one meal per day, which requires walking long distances and waiting for more than three hours in the sun. Healthcare services operate simultaneously at separate locations, forcing individuals to choose between obtaining food or medical assistance. The human rights organization also noted incidents of discrimination at medical centers, where injured individuals, including minors with open head wounds, were labeled intruders and made to wait outside. Local records documented 39 victims of sexual violence in Ceuta over the two months, 14 of whom were minors.

Total reported victims39

Minor victims14

Total reported victims

39 people

Minor victims

14 people

Data from the article text

Executive petitions and asylum processing

Amnesty International sent formal letters to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas, urging immediate government action to provide humanitarian aid, appropriate shelter, and protection for vulnerable groups. The organization demanded the immediate suspension and removal from duty of any military personnel involved in the reported assaults. More than 3,000 troops remain deployed across Ceuta in surveillance and deterrence roles alongside state security forces. While acknowledging the challenging operational conditions confronting security personnel, human rights monitors emphasized that vulnerable migrants from conflict-affected nations, including Somalia and Yemen, have not received asylum interviews or standard protection screenings.