Guardia Civil may be liable to prosecution

A SPANISH court is to determine if Guardia Civil officers in Melilla are liable to prosecution.

The Court of First Instance and Investigation No. 2 in Melilla is to look into the behaviour of Guardia Civil officers and the Moroccan police while trying to keep 400 illegal immigrants from entering Spain on June 18. The lawsuit was filed by three non-governmental organisations, including SOS Racismo and Prodein.

The plaintiffs submitted a video to the court, which is now to decide if the law enforcement officials are guilty of assault, coercion, degrading treat-ment, perversion of justice and crimes against individual rights.

The video shows Moroccan auxiliary forces beating an immigrant on Spanish soil, while Spanish security forces were standing less than 15 metres away and did nothing to stop them. It is also said to show a group of immigrants, some injured, being taken to Morocco by Moroccan law enforcement officials and Guardia Civil officers.

The Court has asked that the Guardia Civil officers that were on duty be identified and that their specific orders be disclosed. The request includes the officers that reportedly stood idly by while an immigrant was being beaten.

The Kingdom of Morocco could be sent a copy of the video and asked to identify the police officers that were on the scene.

On June 18, a group of 400 sub-Saharan immigrants tried to enter Spanish territory by climbing over the Melilla border fence.