MADRID — Spain acquired a report variety of claims for refugee standing and worldwide safety final 12 months, however the authorities rejects much more functions than the European common, a nongovernmental group stated Monday.
The Spanish Commission for Refugees, additionally recognized by its Spanish acronym CEAR, launched its annual report analyzing Spain’s response to elevated demand for sanctuary in 2022 due to the compelled displacement of tens of millions by Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, a number of conflicts in Africa and political crises in Latin America.
Spain acquired 118,842 asylum requests final 12 months, its highest ever and the third-highest quantity within the European Union. However, solely 16.5% of candidates whose circumstances have been determined have been awarded safety, in contrast with an EU common of 38.5%. Separately, 161,037 Ukrainians have been awarded non permanent safety underneath an EU-wide program.
“Once again we demand the law be respected to offer protection,” stated Elena Muñoz, authorized coordinator at CEAR. The group criticized Spain’s lack of secure, authorized pathways to asylum, prolonged forms and an appointment system that has been hijacked by prison networks to extort cash from susceptible asylum-seekers.
The report condemned the demise of “at least” 37 migrants corralled right into a border space separating Spain’s north African enclave of Melilla from Morocco final summer season, describing “the most violent and cruel scenes witnessed on a European border in many years.” The tragedy, involving Spanish and Moroccan safety forces, is now the topic of a authorized criticism filed by a number of migrant rights teams after Spanish prosecutors shelved an investigation final 12 months.
Spain acquired 20% of all irregular arrivals to the EU final 12 months, largely by boat. But the speed of acceptance for asylum, refugee standing and different types of safety varies massively relying on nationality.
Spain’s historic and cultural ties with Latin America imply it’s the vacation spot of alternative for a lot of fleeing violence, political persecution and starvation in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Nicaragua. Applicants of those nationalities have been turned away of their tens of 1000’s by Spain final 12 months.
The CEAR report states that 95% of Colombians and 96% of Peruvians have been rejected by Spain from accessing any type of worldwide safety in 2022.
More than 36,000 Colombians filed functions for defense, with 16,187 of the circumstances reaching a ultimate choice. Of these, Spain awarded 646 individuals of that nationality with refugee standing in 2022, whereas just a few dozen extra acquired lesser types of safety. Just 4 Venezuelans have been granted refugee standing final 12 months among the many 31,234 whose functions for any type of worldwide safety have been determined.
“All asylum-seekers are human beings,” Colombian human rights defender José Miguel Lobo advised a information convention in Madrid, after fleeing his nation due to demise threats associated to his work on the nation’s peace course of.
“I am alive, and I am grateful for that,” he stated. “But what they did for me, they could do for others too.”
The report famous, nonetheless, that 94% of Syrians, 84% of Eritreans and 70% of Malians throughout the EU had their claims permitted, although these nationalities are much more prone to endure grueling overland voyages to northern Africa and on to Spain by boat. They additionally account for a a lot smaller variety of total candidates.
CEAR known as on Spain to make use of its upcoming presidency of the European Council starting in July to advertise reforms of the Dublin Regulation, which makes the primary nation of arrival in Europe accountable for processing asylum claims.
It additionally famous a decline in arrivals by boat to the Canary Islands, the results of higher cooperation with West African origin international locations and Morocco, the place many set sail for Europe.
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