Spanish soldiers in Ceuta recorded bragging about beating migrants without gloves
Audio recordings obtained capture Spanish military personnel in Ceuta laughing about and describing assaults on migrants during a night patrol.
During a night shift on a road adjacent to Ceuta's Temporary Immigrant Shelter, Spanish soldiers were recorded for about 50 minutes describing violent actions against migrants. In the audio, at least three servicemen boast about beating migrants, sometimes preferring to do so without gloves because of the sound it makes, and describe using false promises about documents to trap individuals before assaulting them. They also talk about a punitive “test” that echoes scenes from the horror film Saw, where victims must endure blows without shouting.
The soldiers say they deliberately avoid hearing migrants’ accounts, claiming it would make them feel sorry for them. Civilians captured the conversation from a short distance, and the voices were later distorted to protect identities before being released. The recordings add to earlier testimonies, medical reports and an Amnesty International document that allege systematic torture by armed forces in Ceuta.
Why it matters
The audio provides direct evidence of alleged abuse by military forces, raising serious human-rights concerns.
How this story developed
- Aug 21 Spanish police detain five suspected migrant smugglers operating from Ceuta
- Sep 26 Morocco’s foreign minister announced the country's readiness to receive Ceuta migrants at the UN General Assembly.
- Sep 26 Thousands gathered in Madrid for a second “March for Dignity”, calling for snap elections and the expulsion of migrants who arrived in Ceuta.
- Sep 26 A second “March for Dignity” was held in Madrid, drawing tens of thousands of participants.
- Sep 27 Ceuta residents marched demanding stronger border controls and an end to sexual assaults.
- Sep 28 Frontex added that the western Mediterranean corridor recorded a 34% rise.
- Oct 1 etc
- Oct 7 King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will invite civil-society groups from Ceuta and Melilla to the traditional reception at the Royal Palace.
- Oct 12 Moroccan naval vessels entered Spanish territorial waters around Ceuta while large numbers of migrants crossed the land border, prompting a Spanish naval response.
- Oct 13 The royals have begun an overnight stay in Ceuta as part of their extended visit.
- Oct 13 Santa María was replaced by the frigate Navarra after a mechanical failure.
- Oct 13 Police and the army cleared the Guano informal migrant settlement in Ceuta’s northern bay days before the royal visit.
- Oct 14 The royal couple travelled from Ceuta to Melilla, where they were presented with the city’s golden key and toured a bilingual school with an autism classroom.
- Oct 15 Feijóo filed a popular accusation with the Audiencia Nacional over the Moroccan ships' entry.
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