Conditions in detention facilities

Spain

Country Report: Conditions in detention facilities Last updated: 10/07/24

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Conditions in CIE

According to Article 62-bis of the Aliens Act, CIEs are public establishments of a non-penitentiary nature. Admission to and stay in these facilities shall be solely for preventive and precautionary purposes, safeguarding the rights and freedoms recognised in the legal system, with no limitations other than those applying to their freedom of movement, in accordance with the content and purpose of the judicial detention order of admission.

Article 62-bis of the Aliens Act further entails a list of rights recognised to the detained individuals. This includes the right to be informed and to have access to a lawyer, to an interpreter, to appropriate medical and health support as well as access to NGOs working with migrants. They also have the right to have their life, physical integrity and health respected, and to have their dignity and privacy preserved. The conditions for the access to NGOs as well as the access to adequate social and health care services must be laid down by way of regulation.

The CIE Regulation,[1] adopted in 2014, provides in its Article 3 that:

“The competences on direction, coordination, management and inspection of the centres correspond to the Ministry of the Interior and they are exercised through the General Directorate of the police, who will be responsible for safety and security, without prejudice to judicial powers concerning the entry clearance and control of the permanence of foreigners.”

The Ministry of the Interior is also responsible for the provision of health and social care in the centres, notwithstanding whether such service can be arranged with other ministries or public and private entities.

On the operation and living conditions within the CIE, there is scarce official information provided by the administrations responsible for their management. Due to this lack of transparency, during the last years several institutions and NGOs have developed actions of complaint and denounce shortcomings in the functioning of the CIE. Examples of these activities are the specialised annual reports by the Ombudsperson (and its respective representatives at regional level), by the State Prosecutor,[2] and by several organisations of the third sector, academic institutions[3] and media. In addition, valuable information is contained in the rulings of the judicial bodies responsible for controlling stays in the CIE (Jueces de Control de Estancia).

While the CIE Regulation was long awaited, it was established with many aspects to be improved and ignoring many of the recommendations formulated by the aforementioned entities. This is reflected by the decision of the Supreme Court, which, right after the adoption of the Regulation, cancelled four of its provisions as contrary to the Returns Directive, regarding the need to establish separated units for families, procedural safeguards on second-time detention and prohibition of corporal inspections.[4]

In its 2022 annual report, the Jesuit Migrants Service indicated that the different rules existing in each CIE creates inequality of rights. Thus, the organisation recommends to design internal rules for each facility which should be harmonised by the General-Directorate of the National Police and make them public.[5]

Conditions and riots

Even though under the law CIE do not have the status of a prison, the reality in practice suggests otherwise and conditions of detention therein are still not satisfactory. CIE continued to be the object of high public scrutiny and have attracted media and NGO attention during 2023 due to several incidents that took place throughout the year. The section below provides an overview of incidents recently reported in the CIEs between 2023 and the beginning of 2024.

Various issues emerged regarding the conditions in CIEs due to the Covid pandemic: for more information see AIDA reports 2020 and 2021.

Throughout 2023 and at the beginning of 2024, the following developments and incidents were registered:

  • In February 2023 the supervising judge of the CIE of Valencia opened an investigation following reports made by NGOs on the lack of privacy of inmates during meetings with the same organisations, and on the spying of conversations by the police.[6]
  • In April the political party Unidas Podemos asked the Minister of Interior for explanations on the poor food conditions at CIEs.[7]
  • During the same month, the Supervising Judge of the CIE of Valencia asked to the employees of the facility to respect the privacy of inmates during their meetings with NGOs, lawyers and family members.[8]
  • In June a migrant detained at the CIE of Valencia was deported to Paraguay, allegedly for having reported to the competent Judge that he was subjected to beatings and threats by the police while in detention. According to the campaign CIEsNO, the man was also physically assault during the carrying out of the expulsion.[9]
  • During the same month, the campaign CIEsNO denounced the expulsion of 36 inmates detained at the CIE of Valencia, as a response to the hunger strike they carried out to denounce the bad conditions of the facility and the inhumane treatment by the police[10], and to the following report lodged at the competent Judge.[11]
  • In addition, the same campaign urged for the immediate release of a blind inmate following serious violations of his fundamental rights (i.e. lack of appropriate assistance according to his disability, lack of appropriate facilities to guarantee his movement and stay, etc.).[12]
  • In July the campaign CIEsNO Valencia urged for to release of a person detained at the CIE of Valencia due to his serious health conditions that could worsen in case of prolonged detention or expulsion.[13] Following the public appeal, a medical examiner entered the facility to check on the inmate’s conditions.[14]
  • In September the Platform ‘CIEsNO’ denounced another assault against an inmate by the National Police at the CIE of Zapadores (Valencia).[15]
  • During the same month, the parliamentary group ‘Sumar’ asked the acting Government about the reports submitted by different NGOs about the alleged spying on inmates’ visits by the National Police.[16] In addition, the Spanish Ombudsperson started an investigation on the issue.[17]
  • In November the Platform ‘CIEsNO’ called for the release of a 68-year-old man detained at the CIE of Valencia, due to their serious health conditions and the impossibility for him to access appropriate medical assistance and treatment at the facility.[18] Despite that, the Minister of Interior instead decided to anticipate their expulsion to Bolivia.[19] The political party ‘Compromís’ denounced the fact that the hastening of the deportation was decided without any justification.[20] Following a claim lodged by the inmate’s lawyer, the first instance Judge nº 28 of Valencia suspended his deportation due to health reasons.[21]
  • In February 2024 the Platform CIEsNO informed that around 50 migrants detained at the CIE of Aluche (Madrid) lodged a claim at the competent judge, denouncing the assaults received by the police. The judge opened an investigation.[22] Following such a report, different organisations called for the closure of the facility.[23]

Information on the conditions within detention centres is available in the reports from the CIE visits conducted by the Spanish Ombudsperson, including those within its responsibilities as National Prevention Mechanism against Torture. The findings, facts and recommendations concerning the CIE visited by the Ombudsperson are available in the Annual Report of 2022, published in 2023,[24] as well as in the report issued by the Spanish Ombudsperson in his capacity of National Prevention Mechanism against Torture.[25]

In its 2021 annual report, the Spanish Ombudsperson in his capacity as National Prevention Mechanism against Torture informed that the Directorate-General of the National Police rejected the recommendation made by the body to adopt a protocol so submit and manage claims and reports of abuses and mistreatments by inmates at CIE.[26] In the 2022 annual report, the Ombudsperson once more reported that no answer on the matter was provided by the Directorate-General of the National Police.[27] As already mentioned, the supervising judges of the CIE of Madrid adopted a set of measures in 2022 providing for the obligation of the authorities in, establishing a protocol for the processing of claims and reports of mistreatments suffered by inmates, as well as the obligation to transfer the complainant at the supervising judge in order to guarantee his/her right to effective remedies.[28] In its 2022 annual report, the Spanish Ombudsperson acknowledges that such decisions are in line with the recommendations made by the body in the past years and with the main claims it received in 2022.[29]

Moreover, the annual report of the Jesuit Migrants Service on CIEs in Spain provides relevant information on conditions and their situation, based on visits carried out by the organisation.[30] In its 2023 report, the NGO continued to highlight the serious deficiencies of living conditions and the lack of guarantees within those facilities. Concretely, the organisation denounced assaults on and mistreatments of inmates, and the difficulties they face reporting such acts. It also continued to denounce the lack of adequate health services, and the impact of detention on the mental health of inmates. The JMS expressed concern regarding the detention of persons that cannot be detained at CIEs according to the law, such as EU citizens, applicants for international protection in other countries, presumed minors, victims of gender-based violence, etc. It also criticised how the lack of common rules between CIEs results in different regimes in each facility and thus inequalities in the rights of inmates.

Visits to the CIE of Aluche in Madrid are regularly carried out by the organisation SOS Racismo, with the objective, among others, of providing legal and psychological support to detainees.[31]

Additionally, the annual report of the Public Prosecutor office informs about the conditions at the CIEs, in light of the visits that the institution carries out.

A report published in March 2023 by the NGO Mundo en Movimiento focusing on the presence of women at the CIEs, highlights that the 42 out of the 43 women assisted by the organisation during 2021 and 2022 suffered violence (mistreatment or assault) during their stay in these facilities.[32]

In November 2020, the Spanish Government acknowledged for the first time its responsibility in the death of Samba Martine, a migrant detained at the CIE of Madrid who died in 2011. The decision taken by the Government determined that the death was linked to the malfunctioning of the CIE of Madrid, the CETI of Melilla and the private company SERMEDES S.L. in charge of providing medical assistance at the CIE. After 8 years of litigation, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, and SERMEDES S.L. accepted to compensate Samba Martine’s family.[33]

Activities, health care and special needs

The CIE Regulations governs the provision of services for sanitary assistance,[34] including access to medical and pharmaceutical assistance (and hospital assistance when needed), and contains provisions concerning clean clothes, personal hygiene kits and diets that take into account personal requirements.[35] In the same way, Article 15 of the Regulation concerns the provision of services for social, legal and cultural assistance, which can be provided by contracted NGOs. Detained third-country nationals can receive visits from relatives during the established hours,[36] and have access to open air spaces.[37]

As regards families with children in detention, although the Regulation did not initially foresee ad hoc facilities, the 2015 ruling of the Spanish Supreme Court obliged the detention system for foreigners to provide separated family spaces. Officially recognised unaccompanied minors are not detained in CIE, although there have been several reported cases of non-identified minors in detention.

Notwithstanding legal provisions, and the improvement in conditions after the adoption of the CIE Regulation, each centre still presents deficiencies, as the establishment of specific available services depends on each of the CIE directors.

In general, shortcomings have been reported concerning structural deficiencies or significant damages which may put at risk the health and safety of detained persons, overcrowding, absence of differentiated modalities for persons who have committed mere administrative infractions, restrictions to visits or to external communications, frequent lack of material for leisure or sports activities. In addition, the provision of legal, medical, psychological and social assistance is limited and not continuous; detained persons often lack information regarding their legal situation, their rights or the date of their return when removal is applicable. Also, interpreters and translators are often not available in practice.

Concerning the situation in 2022, the Spanish Ombudsperson recalled the necessity for the CIE of Madrid to ensure access to psychological support for inmates.[38] Similarly, in its 2022 annual report on the situation of CIEs, the Jesuit Migrant Service continued to highlight deficiencies in the provision of medical services, such as the fact that the health conditions of certain inmates would have recommended not to detain the person, the lack of assistance to mental health problems, the lack of provision of medicines needed by inmates, etc.[39]

In November 2022, the Supervising Judges of the CIE of Aluche (Madrid) agreed on a set of measures to improve the health assistance provided to inmates, such as allowing the use of the infirmary also during the night, the provision of psychological assistance and the digital health record. Such judicial decision obliges the Directorate-General of the Police, who oversees the CIE’s management, to improve these aspects.[40]

In September 2022, the Municipality and the Bar Association of Barcelona signed an agreement on the provision of legal assistance to inmates at the CIE of Barcelona.[41]

In its 2023 annual report, the Jesuit Migrants Service denounced the lack of adequate assistance to inmates with mental health needs, as well as the deportation of some migrants with mental health issues without the report of forensic doctor, and how the mental health of some inmates deteriorated during detention.[42]

A report published by the University of Seville and the Jesuit Migrants Service in January 2024 warned that CIEs are spaces where migrants face a high risk of developing or aggravating their mental health conditions. The study underlined that 70% of the persons interviewed showed symptoms of anxiety and depression. [43]

 

Conditions in police stations

Migrants detained in police stations after arriving in Spain by sea face dire conditions.

In 2022, the Spanish Ombudsperson, in its capacity as National Mechanism for Prevention of Torture, visited 4 CATEs and continued to call for the necessity to establish a regulation of such facilities. In addition, the body highlighted certain deficiencies of the facilities visited (i.e. lack of ventilation in the cells, of basic furniture, of curtain in the showers, etc.).[44]

 

Conditions in border facilities

Border facilities have been visited and monitored by the Spanish Ombudsperson, also in its capacity as National Prevention Mechanism against Torture.

The situation of the “non-admission room” in Madrid Barajas Airport has raised serious concerns in recent years because of its deplorable conditions. Concerns continued to be raised in 2022 by the Spanish Ombudsperson in its capacity as National Prevention Mechanism against Torture, who underlined the deficiencies of the facility in terms of maintenance and hygiene, the lack of natural light, the lack of access to public phones, the lack of improvements in the conditions of stay, the impossibility to change money, the inexistence of a medical service, etc.[45]

At the end of December 2023, there were reports of bad conditions and overcrowding at the ad hoc spaces for asylum seekers at the Madrid Barajas Airport.[46] Three judges asked the Minister of Interior to improve the situation.[47] Despite the Ministry of Interior announcing the adoption of appropriate measures to resolve the situation following the judicial requirements, in January 2024 the Unified Trade Union of the National Police (Sindicato Unificado de Policía – SUP) highlighted that the overcrowding and the insalubrity of the facility continued, and lodged a report to the Ombudsperson.[48] Due to the conditions, a total of 26 Moroccan asylum applicants escaped the ad hoc spaces and the airport by breaking a window.[49] In mid-January the Ministry of Interior reported it had allocated more resources to the ad hoc spaces to face the situation, with more police officers and additional offices to carry out the asylum interviews.[50] In addition, they started to transfer some of the asylum applicants to the CIE of Madrid, after a judge authorised the detention, but the Public Prosecutor Office immediately asked to annul the decision, which was then revoked by the judge.[51] The Spanish Ombudsperson denounced the overcrowding at the airport and asked the Government to guarantee decent conditions for asylum applicants and their rights, as well as the necessity to set up a proper space to accommodate them.[52] Similarly, the UNHCR expressed concerns on the situation and urged the Government to adopt a solution.[53] The NGO ‘CEAR’ requested the Government to allow the exceptional access for humanitarian reasons of those asylum applicants to Spain.[54] The Spanish Red Cross, which provides the social assistance to asylum applicants at the airport, decided to suspend its operations until minimum conditions and standars will be re-established, a decision not shared by the Minister of Interior.[55] The Spanish Government blamed Morocco for the chaos at the airport, and asked the Moroccan Government to prohibit the boarding in the flights transiting in Spain to those passengers holding a passport from Senegal who do not have a Schengen transit visa, which helped to ease the situation by reducing the number of asylum applicants at the airport.[56] CEAR criticised such a decision as a form of externalisation of borders management, and also highlighted the risks that migrants and refugees can face in the migratory route following such a requirement.[57] In order to solve the situation, the Ministry of Interior additionally enabled a new space (a fourth room) to accommodate asylum applicants at the airport, which will host 162 persons.[58] At the beginning of February, the Minister of Interior declared resolved the issue.[59]

Throughout 2023 and during the last quarter in particular, in the context of increased numbers of asylum applicants at the Madrid airport, UNHCR supported the competent authorities in addressing implementation challenges in the accelerated asylum border procedure at the airport in which UNHCR plays an active monitoring role. Due to the situation, UNHCR reinforced its monitoring activities, supported coordination at different levels, made proposals to improve the reception conditions and management of applications with a particular focus on identification of persons with specific needs and also provided technical support with Somali interpretation services for a limited time.[60]

 

 

 

[1] Real Decreto 162/2014, de 14 de marzo, por el que se aprueba el reglamento de funcionamiento y régimen interior de los centros de internamiento de extranjeros.

[2] See e.g. http://bit.ly/1MgSHz2.

[3] Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, Sufrimiento Inútil – Informe CIE 2017, June 2018, 8.

[4] El Pais, ‘El Supremo anula cuatro articulos de la norma de los Centros de Inetrnamiento’, 27 January 2015, available at: http://bit.ly/1uAbrvf.

[5] Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, ‘Informe CIE 2022.Diferencias que generan desigualdad’, June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yc6w5adx.

[6] El Diario, ‘Un juez abre un expediente de control al CIE de Valencia por las denuncias de “espionaje” de las ONG’, 14 February 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3xPQwhm; Cadena Ser, ‘Un juzgado de València pide al CIE de Zapadores que informe sobre un supuesto espionaje de policías a internos’, 14 February 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3m5jK8Z.

[7] Europa Press, ‘UP pide a Interior que aclare si hay quejas en los CIEs por mal estado de la comida que se da a los internos’, 15 April 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/4ayvn64p.

[8] Europa Press, ‘El juzgado pide al CIE que respete la privacidad de entrevistas de los internos con sus familiares, ONG y letrados’, 4 April 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/mpvau38t.

[9] Público, ‘Expulsan de España a un migrante que denunció agresiones policiales’, 5 July 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/rs82v8bu.

[10] Onda Cero, ‘Migrantes del CIE Zapadores denuncian trato inhumano por parte de la Policía Nacional’, 19 June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/3sj6rc2m.

[11] El Salto Diario, ‘El gobierno pretende expulsar a los huelguistas de hambre del CIE de València’, 23 June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/mtfj6dta ; Levante, ‘Deportan de urgencia a extranjeros que denunciaron maltrato en el CIE de València’, 23 June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/4p6788nf.

[12] Levante, ‘Ciego y sin bastón, encerrado en el CIE’, 14 June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yck2e9rm.

[13] El Salto Diario, ‘CIEs NO Valencia exige la liberación de un interno en Zapadores que se halla en grave riesgo por enfermedad’, 26 July 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/2u27hber.

[14] Levante, ‘Un forense entra al CIE de Valencia para ver a un interno con una enfermedad grave’, 26 July 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/s29t4bk5.

[15] El Diario, ‘CIEs No denuncia una nueva agresión de un policía a un interno en el centro de Zapadores en València’, 1 September 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/3c43bzck.

[16] El Diario, ‘Sumar traslada al Congreso el espionaje y las irregularidades denunciadas por las ONG en el CIE de València’, 20 September 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/2xxd8vzt.

[17] Servired, ‘El Defensor del Pueblo investiga las intromisiones de la policía en las visitas en el CIE de Zapadores’, 14 September 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yc5h79d7.

[18] El Diario, ‘Denuncian “grave riesgo para la salud” de un interno en el CIE de València de 68 años con VIH y enfermedad de Chagas‘, 22 November 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/3pv2dtau.

[19] El Diario, ‘El CIE de València acelera la expulsión a Bolivia de un interno de 68 años con VIH y la enfermedad de Chagas’, 23 November 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/rwx5fsrj.

[20] Público, ‘El juez suspende por razones sanitarias la deportación del boliviano enfermo tras un mes encerrado en el CIE de València, 29 November 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/y48wkkk7.

[21] Ibidem.

[22] Madrid Diario, ‘Un escrito de los internos del CIE de Aluche denuncia presuntas agresiones policiales’, 16 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mzz5uctw; El País, ‘Un juzgado investiga presuntas agresiones de policías a internos del CIE de Aluche, en Madrid’, 22 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/yuwmecuw; El Diario, ‘50 migrantes denuncian en los juzgados agresiones policiales con “puñetazos y patadas en la cabeza” en el CIE de Madrid’, 22 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/42whney3.

[23] Gacetín Madrid, ‘Reclaman el cierre del CIE de Aluche tras la última denuncia judicial por supuestos malos tratos’, 12 March 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/359ds8ss.

[24] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe anual 2022 – Volumen I’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/bdhjbujw.

[25] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe Anual 2022 – Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/2xpcx3dj.

[26] El Salto Diario, ‘La Policía se niega a regular un protocolo de quejas de malos tratos y torturas en los CIE’, 13 September 2022, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3WGCxEy

[27] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe Anual 2022 – Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/2xpcx3dj, 57.

[28] Público, ‘Los jueces del CIE de Madrid​ acuerdan un protocolo para investigar las agresiones a internos’, 18 May 2022, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3GArw2i.

[29] Defensor del Pueblo, Informe Anual 2022 – Volumen I, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3ZZLB9d, 168.

[30] Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, ‘Diferencias que generan desigualdad. Informe CIE 2022 – ’, June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://cutt.ly/vwsbZlMy.

[31] SOS Racismo, see: https://sosracismo.eu/sos-racismo-madrid/.

[32] Mundo en Movimiento, ‘Represión y encierro. Análisis interseccional de la violencia en el internamiento de personas extranjeras’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/xfsa5vy9.

[33] El Salto Diario, ‘El Estado español admite su responsabilidad en la muerte de Samba Martine’, 17 November 2020, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/2NHLkrK.

[34]  Article 14 CIE Regulation.

[35]  Articles 39-47 CIE Regulation.

[36]  Article 42 CIE Regulation.

[37]  Article 40 CIE Regulation.

[38] Defensor del Pueblo, Informe Anual 2022 – Volumen I, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3ZZLB9d.

[39] Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, ‘Informe CIE 2022.Diferencias que generan desigualdad’, June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yc6w5adx.

[40] Europa Press, ‘Jueces del CIE de Aluche requieren asistencia sanitaria 24h a internos, atención psicológica e historia clínica digital’, 22 November 2022, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3gHc7mZ; La Vanguardia, ‘Los jueces de control del CIE de Madrid piden subsanar sus “graves deficiencias sanitarias”’, 22 November 2022, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3UcTZiw.

[41] Metropoli Abierta, ‘Abogados de Barcelona darán orientación jurídica a los extranjeros del CIE’, 16 September 2022, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3R4WIus.

[42] Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, ‘Inform CIE 2022 – Diferencias que general desigualdad’, June 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yc6w5adx.

[43] Paloma, V., Agüero-Collins, A., Benítez, I., Buades-Fuster, J., López-Núñez, C., & Saavedra-Macías, F. J., (2023), ‘Un acercamiento a la salud mental de las personas migrantes en los Centros de Internamiento de Extranjeros de España’, Centro de Investigación y Acción Comunitaria de la Universidad de Sevilla & Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2p86r6tf.

[44] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe anual 2022. Volumen I. Anexo A – Informe Completo del Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención (MNP)’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3MAU4ww.

[45] Defensor del Pueblo, ‘Informe anual 2022. Volumen I. Anexo A – Informe Completo del Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención (MNP)’, March 2023, available in Spanish at: https://bit.ly/3MAU4ww.

[46]  La Razón, ‘Las salas del aeropuerto de Madrid dedicadas a los peticionarios de asilo se encuentran desbordadas’, 19 December 2023, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/mryzrz38; El Periódico de España, ‘Plagas de chinches, basura y escasez de toallas: la situación de los solicitantes de asilo en Barajas sigue sumida en el caos’, 22 January 2024, available at:https://tinyurl.com/28pfjah6; El Salto Diario, ‘Denuncian el hacinamiento de solicitantes de protección internacional en las salas del aeropuerto de Barajas’, 22 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/y4fermzt; Canal Sur, ‘Las ONG denuncian el hacinamiento extremo en las salas de asilo de Barajas’, 26 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/yc76renk.

[47] El País, ‘Tres jueces piden a Interior medidas urgentes ante el hacinamiento de migrantes en el aeropuerto de Barajas’, 22 December 2023, available in Spanish at:  https://tinyurl.com/5n8h8ff9.

[48] Europa Press, ‘Marlaska dice que se han tomado medidas por los migrantes bloqueados en Barajas, tras los requerimientos judiciales’, 4 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/2xthj6pm; Europa Press, ‘El SUP denuncia que continúa el colapso e insalubridad en Barajas por los viajeros africanos “hacinados” que piden asilo’, 12 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/4fck2eap; La Razón, ‘Vuelven los chinches y las cucarachas a las salas donde esperan los migrantes solicitantes de asilo en el aeropuerto de Barajas’, 14 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://rb.gy/m6kixc; The Objective, ‘Colapso en Barajas por las peticiones de asilo de Senegal y Marruecos: «Estamos al límite»’, 14 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/25vvbpr7; Antena 3, ‘Una abogada denuncia la situación de los solicitantes de asilo del aeropuerto de Barajas: “El hacinamiento es inhumano”, 1 february 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/3j26ju4h; Onda Cero, ‘La Policía denuncia el caos en las salas de asilo de Barajas: la insalubridad crece y se prevé la llegada de más inmigrantes’, 2 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2e6m5ptf.

[49] 20 Minutos, ‘Diecisiete migrantes escapan de las salas de asilo de Barajas tras romper una ventana’, 13 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/4su667sz; ABC, ‘Se fugan 26 marroquíes de las salas de inadmitidos de Barajas en dos noches consecutivas’, 13 January 2024, available in Spanish at:  https://tinyurl.com/mw9mwunz.

[50] Europa Press, ‘Interior señala que ya hay más policías y medios en Barajas, tras las quejas por magrebíes solicitantes de asilo’, 15 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/zwfdc9za.

[51] Europa Press, ‘Comienza el traslado desde Barajas a un CIE de los migrantes que han solicitado asilo tras hacer escala en Madrid’, 17 January 2024, available in Spanish at: https://tinyurl.com/yc5y7uu7; El Diairio, ‘Un juez autoriza a internar en el CIE de Madrid a medio centenar de solicitantes de asilo hacinados en Barajas’, 18 January 2024, available at:https://tinyurl.com/3e86zzfw; Fiscalía pide anular la autorización de un juez para trasladar a un CIE a 50 migrantes solicitantes de asilo en Barajas’, 18 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mr2pe4ss; El Diario, ‘El juez rectifica y anula su aval a trasladar demandantes de asilo de Barajas al CIE’, 22 January 2024, available at:https://tinyurl.com/mrxxx3v9; Onda Cero, ‘La Fiscalía se opone al traslado al CIE de Aluche de 50 solicitantes de asilo en Barajas’, 19 January 2024, available at:https://tinyurl.com/5n8ktsy2; El Diario, ‘El juez rectifica y anula su aval a trasladar demandantes de asilo de Barajas al CIE’, 22 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mrxxx3v9.

[52] El País, ‘El Defensor del Pueblo, ante el hacinamiento en Barajas: “Reclamamos a las administraciones que se garanticen condiciones dignas”’, 18 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/4p34b6z2; El País, ‘El Defensor del Pueblo visita las hacinadas salas de asilo de Barajas: “Es urgente que se habilite un espacio adecuado”’, 19 January 2024, available at:https://tinyurl.com/bfa7btyy; Europa Press, ‘El Defensor del Pueblo pide a Migraciones, Interior y AENA que respeten los derechos en las salas de asilo de Barajas’, 30 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2hxzm3ff.

[53] Europa Press, ‘ACNUR reitera su preocupación por la situación de los solicitantes de asilo en el aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas’, 26 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2fcr73pz.

[54] Cope, ‘CEAR pide dejar entrar a España a solicitantes de asilo en Barajas para aliviar la presión’, 18 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/5xtxskex; Europa Press, ‘CEAR pide autorizar la entrada “excepcional” a solicitantes de asilo ante el “hacinamiento” de las salas de Barajas’, 22 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/3e59pxvb.

[55] 20 Minutos, ‘Cruz Roja abandona las salas de asilo en Barajas “hasta que se den las condiciones mínimas” para atender a los migrantes’, 23 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2cv65c45; Europa Press, ‘Interior “no comparte” la decisión de Cruz Roja de renunciar a asistir a los migrantes en Barajas que piden asilo’, 23 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/bdyfmjwx.

[56] La Razón, ‘El gobierno descarga el caos de Barajas en Rabat’, 1 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2c84j8jz; Cadena Ser, ‘España pide a Marruecos que vete en sus aviones a los senegaleses sin visado para atajar el hacinamiento de Barajas’, 31 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mr3mwx66; Madrid Diario, ‘Interior estudia pedir visados de tránsito a los vuelos de Marruecos con escala en Madrid’, 19 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2jc76xb4; la Razón, ‘El Gobierno impondrá visados de tránsito a senegaleses para evitar el colapso de peticiones de asilo en Barajas’, 24 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/cjjpxzvh; Cope, ‘Así funciona el visado de tránsito, la medida que ha aliviado la presión en Barajas’, 9 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2pu37j4x.

[57] CEAR, ‘Los visados de tránsito incrementan los riesgos en las rutas migratorias’, 5 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2s4h4f6r; Cope, ‘CEAR critica que España “externalice” fronteras y deje el control en manos de Marruecos’, 9 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/mwr63bkw.

[58] Newtral, ‘Interior habilita una nueva sala de acogida en el aeropuerto de Barajas ante el incremento de solicitantes de asilo’, 30 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/32vb5k3f; Heraldo, ‘Barajas contará con una cuarta sala para albergar a 162 solicitantes de asilo’, 29 January 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/4ptvjah7; Ministerio del Interior, ‘Habilitada una nueva sala en Barajas para atender a los solicitantes de protección internacional’, available at: https://tinyurl.com/5x2rc46n.

[59] Europa Press, ‘Marlaska da por resuelta la crisis “excepcional” en Barajas por los solicitantes de asilo tras escalas fraudulentas’, 7 February 2024, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2ye9ptef.

[60] Information provided by UNHCR in April 2024.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX I – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation