Spanish NGOs denounce expulsion of minors without guarantees

Expulsion from Spain of illegal minor immigrants without guarantees is against the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and against the Spanish law itself, vented in Rabat Wednesday representatives of Spanish NGOs.

A report on a study that has been conducted recently reveals that, since 2000, Spain has been systematically expulsing minors aged between 14 and 18 years old.

"Spain has flouted the international convention as well as its own law" by expulsing minors after the promulgation, in March 2003, of the guideline of the public prosecutor," which stipulates that minors aged 16 and above should be sent off to their mother countries" said the chairman of the Cadiz-based organization "Prodein Melilla," José Palazon.

Palazon's declaration came in a press conference jointly organized, Tuesday in Rabat, by several associations on the occasion of the presentation of a report titled "Minors in borders: expulsion of Moroccan minors without guarantees and breach of rights" couched by three NGOs and the Spanish commission for refugees' help.

Touching on the legal aspect of the expulsion of minors without guarantees, the representative of the commission of the general council of Spain's lawyers, Elena Arce, pointed out that "Spain and Morocco have signed the international convention on the defense of rights of the child, while these expulsions are perpetrated in breach of this convention, which stipulates that repatriation should take into consideration the child's interest."

Participants in this meeting affirmed that though expulsion was banned after the advent of Zapatero government, and a new "more protecting" guideline was elaborated, expulsions are still perpetrated with the same degree of aggressiveness in the centers of Melilla, as well as in those of Madrid and Catalonia.