on the arbitrary displacement and detention of migrants in Morocco following the raids of 10 February 2015

February 2015

The Monday, 9 February 2015, the Ministry of the Interior announced during a press conference the end of the exceptional operation of regularization of migrants in an irregular administrative situation and the dismantling of camps in northern Morocco.

Some hours later, the Moroccan authorities conducted a large raking operation in the Gourougou camps near the occupied city of Melilla. 1,200 people were arrested and taken to different cities in Morocco. On February 11, about 40 people were arrested in Tangier and taken near Fes to be released. Friday, February 13, around the towns of Nador, Selouane and Zghanghen in northeastern Morocco, new arrests take place in migrant camps known to be places of residence of families, but also within the city of Nador. Women and children were arrested. The Ministry of the Interior, in a press release made public on 11 February 2015, justifies these raids by “(…) the release of several migrants, including women and children, who were forced to live within this forest by networks of smugglers and human trafficking “. The ministry concludes this statement by stating that “similar operations will be systematically conducted to evacuate all the places squatted by the migrants who plan to organize attempts of irregular emigration.” The announcement of the movements of migrants from the north to different cities Morocco and their deprivation of liberty since the day of their arrest, the CCSM (Collective of Sub-Saharan Communities in Morocco) and GADEM (Antiracist Group for Accompaniment and Defense of Foreigners and Migrants) have decided to organize a joint mission from 11 to 18 February 2015 in the cities of El Jadida, Youssoufia, Chichaoua, Tiznit and Agadir to observe on the spot the movements of migrants and their detention, to observe the situation on the ground and the conditions of confinement, to gather testimonials, and to meet local actors and members of the Regional Commissions This note from this mission is also based on interviews conducted by telephone with migrants detained in towns in which the CCSM and GADEM were unable to visit. information collected from partner associations in the field, in particular Caminando Fronteras.

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