The ‘Spanish’ route to Europe is a deadly one

European tourists come to the Spanish island of Gran Canaria to relax. However, the small port town of Arguineguín is also known for the overcrowded boats that arrive there with refugees and migrants from African countries. Sometimes, the bodies of people who have drowned wash ashore. In 2023, over 32,000 African migrants and refugees arrived on the Canary Islands, which is twice the number recorded in 2022. The journey – often made in overcrowded and rickety fishing boats – is extremely dangerous. At least 700 boat refugees are thought to have drowned last year.

‘My journey in the fishing boat lasted six days’, recalls Mamadi Hasan (20), who fled jihadist violence in Mali. ‘It was a difficult journey: five people died along the way. We had to leave them in the ocean’, he says quietly. Like many other refugees, he was exploited by smugglers and authorities during his journey. ‘I was arrested and tortured by the security authorities in Mauritania.’ Traces of torture are visible on multiple parts of Mamadi’s body. ‘I had to pay the Mauritanian police to release me. If you don’t have money, you disappear behind bars for a long time.’

The Spanish Commission for Refugee Assistance (CEAR) works tirelessly to assist refugees in the Canary Islands and document human rights violations. ‘But it is impossible for us to document all cases and help everyone’, says Clara Herrero, a CEAR employee. ‘Refugees and migrants are often vulnerable when they arrive here. They have been through a lot on their journey, and they don’t speak the language. So, the documented number of victims is just the tip of the iceberg.’

Deadly migration routes

Spain has signed agreements with Mauritania and Senegal to prevent boats from reaching the Canary Islands. These agreements allow Spain to oversee the work of those countries’ coast guards and allow the Spanish coast guard to patrol their waters. In response, smugglers are choosing longer and more dangerous routes to avoid ‘pushbacks’. The West Atlantic route is now the deadliest migration route to Europe.

‘The border guards captured me and deported me to Morocco.’

Mokhtar (24) from Sudan

Crimes at the border

The European Union is cooperating with Morocco to further monitor Europe’s external border. They are spending millions of euros to support Moroccan border control. Two Spanish enclaves in northern Morocco – Ceuta and Melilla – are surrounded by walls, border fences, and barbed wire. Refugees and migrants often attempt to cross these borders into Spain by climbing over the fences. Spain immediately deports refugees who are apprehended to Morocco, even though Morocco lacks a functioning asylum system. In fact, Moroccan border guards are reported to often deport refugees to inland areas and the desert.

Pushbacks are often violent and may involve the use of tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets. A tragic incident occurred at the Melilla border in June 2022, when Spanish and Moroccan border guards intervened when hundreds of refugees tried to go through the border. That resulted in dozens of deaths. Fortunately, Mokhtar was spared that fate. On his fourth attempt, he managed to enter Ceuta, where he is now awaiting his asylum procedure.

Pressure on organisations

Spanish NGOs that speak out against human rights violations face difficulties. Their attempts to investigate incidents often fail due to a lack of information. Sometimes, organisations and activists are even accused of facilitating human smuggling. Helena Maleno, the founder of the human rights organisation Caminando Fronteras, was charged with ‘smuggling in persons’ and ‘possible ties to a criminal organisation’ in both Spain and Morocco. She was acquitted of those charges, and Caminando Fronteras continues its efforts to rescue refugees and migrants.

According to Maria Ferrero, a senior staff member of the UNHCR, Spain is doing everything it can to avoid becoming a ‘migration destination’. The Spanish approach is classic: do everything possible to prevent refugees from coming to Spain and, if they manage to get there, encourage them to continue on to other European countries. Meanwhile, the asylum and reception system in Spain seems to have stalled, with a backlog of over 100,000 cases.

Mamadi was granted refugee status in Spain and is living in a reception centre in the south of Gran Canaria. ‘I am currently following a course in repairs and home maintenance. Sometimes I feel guilty because my mother stayed in Mali. But I can finally think about my future.’