The migratory crisis overwhelms Justice in Ceuta and forces the CGPJ to demand urgent reinforcements

The migratory crisis has fully reached the courts of Ceuta. The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has demanded this Tuesday two magistrates and more experienced personnel to respond to the sharp increase in cases registered since the massive entry of people from Morocco on July 30 and 31.

The Permanent Commission has made the decision after studying a report commissioned on August 5 to its Inspection Service. The document concludes that what happened has "extraordinarily" affected the public service of Justice, especially the Civil and Instruction Section of the Court of First Instance and its on-call shifts.

The figures collected by the Judiciary reflect the extent of the overload. Between July 30 and August 5, 96 preliminary proceedings for deaths were opened, another 23 related to detained persons and brought before the court, and 15 urgent proceedings for events that occurred during those days.

The 96 proceedings correspond to procedures opened to investigate deaths and clarify the circumstances of each case. The figure, therefore, should be handled as judicial data and does not yet constitute a definitive balance of identified victims.

The pressure continued during the following week. Between August 5 and 11, the courts received another 72 police reports with detained or summoned persons. This accumulation occurs while the Interior continues with identifications and has raised this Tuesday to 2,168 the number of minors located by the National Police and placed at the disposal of the Ceuta Government since the end of July.

Judicial bodies play a central role in the investigation of deaths, the situation of detained persons, and possible criminal liabilities. They also intervene in measures affecting those awaiting expulsion when their immediate return is legally or materially impossible.

Reinforcements for on-call duties and sexual violence cases

The CGPJ considers it necessary to assign an additional judge or magistrate to the on-call service and create another specific service commission for the position with competence in Violence against Women, which also handles sexual offenses.

The Inspection report warns of an increase in the workload of this latter body, "especially regarding matters related to alleged sexual assaults." The statement keeps these facts within the realm of open investigations and lacks a closed figure or a collective attribution of responsibilities.

The situation was further complicated by the imminent departure of the judge currently providing support in that position while awaiting a new assignment. The Permanent Commission has decided to extend his stay in Ceuta, acceding to the request made by both the city's magistrates and the interested party himself.

The CGPJ has informed the Governing Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla and the president of the Ceuta Court of First Instance of the need to formally process the two service commissions. The request must be made in accordance with article 216 bis of the Organic Law of the Judiciary.

The court had already reorganized part of its resources to maintain on-call duties, incorporating magistrates and officials from other city bodies. These measures have allowed immediate activity to be sustained, although the Inspection Service warns that the duration of the crisis requires support "of greater duration and stability."

More officials, interpreters, and expert support

The request from the Judiciary also extends to the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Cortes. The CGPJ demands a lawyer from the Administration of Justice, a manager, two processors, and a judicial assistance official, all with experience and temporarily assigned to Ceuta while the extraordinary situation persists.

These reinforcements are joined by two interpreters and an urgent expert appraisal service for on-call duties. The Ceuta magistrates themselves conveyed these needs to the Council after meeting on August 14 and demanding a response capable of maintaining the processing of accumulated procedures.

The arrival of interpreters is especially relevant in a city where judicial bodies must take statements and communicate resolutions to people of different nationalities. The expert service would allow urgent proceedings requiring technical assessments during on-call duties to be handled without delay.

The member of the CGPJ José Antonio Montero, magistrate of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court before joining the Council, will visit the judicial bodies of Ceuta in the coming days. Montero will evaluate on the ground the workload supported by the different positions while the superior court processes the incorporation of the two magistrates and the Ministry of Justice studies the rest of the requested reinforcements.