Judge orders prosecution of Guardia Civil over immigrant deaths

The head of the Court of Instruction Number 6 of Ceuta, Maria de la Luz Lozanohas ordered for the prosecution of Guardia Civil officers for their role in the deaths of 15 immigrants trying to reach the beach of Tarajal.

The immigrants had left the North African continent and were swimming to the Cueta shore before being intercepted by Maritime Guardia Civil Officers.According to reports, the officers opened preventative fire on the immigrants with rubber bullets and smoke cartridges, causing the death of 15 individuals.

The original incident happened back in February 2014, and since then the case has been brought twice to the court but has been thrown out both times after no evidence was found against the officers. However the case reopened last year thanks to new evidence, and since then, the judge has carried out fresh investigations which have, according to local media, led to the prosecution of the officers for reckless homicide and denial of aid.

Details of the officers sentencing have not yet been decided by the courts and the names of the officers in question have not been released.