Several civil society organizations turn to the European Anti-Fraud Office OLAF

2023-05-10 12:10:30

Migrants hope to disembark in the port of Arguineguín (Gran Canaria) in May 2022. REUTERS/Borja Suárez.

Several civil society organizations address the European Office for the Fight
against Fraud (OLAF), based in Brussels, to request the opening of a
investigation in relation to the possible use of European Funds by the
Spanish State in actions that could violate human rights in the
will border onrelated to violent actions perpetrated by the police forces,
both Moroccan and Spanish, against people trying to access the territory
European Union and which have as a consequence the violation of the right to life and
physical integrity and the lack of access to the international protection procedure and the
violation of the principle of non-refund.

Specifically, reference is made to the funds used by Spain to execute the call
policy to combat irregular immigration – Internal Security Fund (FSI) and the
Financial Support Instrument for Border Management and Visa Policy (IGFV)–
and its possible relationship with violent and disproportionate actions perpetrated by the
police forces that could have resulted in death, injury and the
illegal return of migrants and refugees, such as those that took place in
Melilla on June 24.

We also point out the inadequate constitution and composition of the surveillance mechanism
on the use of the Funds, the lack of transparency regarding their management and execution, as well as the
limited participation of civil society organizations linked to the field
migratory.

We understand that OLAF has the competence to analyze this situation and
determine the possible non-compliance with the regulations due to the lack of respect for the Charter of
Fundamental Rights of the EU, the lack of transparency and for not having, in addition, the
proper constitution of the mechanisms provided for monitoring the use of
Money.

Signatory organizations:

Amnesty International, Andalucía Acoge, Association for Human Rights of Andalusia,
Association for Human Rights of Spain, Spanish Commission for Aid to Refugees
(CEAR), Iridia-Center for the Defense of Human Rights, Stop Mare Mortum and Red
welcomes