Mr. Enrique Múgica
El Defensor del Pueblo
Paseo de Eduardo Dato, 31
28010 Madrid
Spain

Fax: ++ 34 91 310 5202

Dear Defensor,

I am writing to express my concern about abuses of children in Ceuta and Melilla described in the Human Rights Watch report, Nowhere to Turn: State Abuses of Unaccompanied Migrant Children by Spain and Morocco. The report documents cases of children who were beaten or ill-treated by Spanish police, abused by staff and other children in residential centers, subjected to arbitrary age determination procedures, denied health, education, and other benefits guaranteed them in Spanish law, or summarily expelled to Morocco.

I urge you to investigate reports of police abuse, abusive conditions in residential centers, and unlawful expulsions of unaccompanied migrant children in Ceuta and Melilla, report publicly on your findings, and where appropriate refer cases to the Ministerio Fiscal for investigation.

I look forward to receiving your reply, and thank you for your attention to this important human rights matter.

Sincerely,