End illegal pushbacks at the Morocco–Spain border

Sign the petition to end illegal pushbacks affecting migrants along the Western Mediterranean route.

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What Is Happening at the Borders

Migrants moving along the Western Mediterranean route between Morocco and Spain are continuing to experience unlawful pushbacks, collective expulsions, and border violence. These practices are reported at land border crossings in Ceuta and Melilla as well as during maritime interceptions in the Mediterranean.

In many documented cases, individuals are returned without an individual assessment of their protection needs and without access to asylum procedures. These returns occur in conditions that raise serious concerns regarding compliance with international refugee and human rights law.

Reports from people affected describe repeated interceptions and returns, including cases where the same individuals are pushed back multiple times. These practices often involve the immediate removal of people from border areas without due process, legal information, or access to interpretation or legal assistance.

There are also consistent accounts of physical harm, confiscation of personal belongings such as phones, shoes, and identity documents, and abandonment in remote or unsafe areas following return operations. These conditions contribute to heightened vulnerability and repeated exposure to dangerous crossing attempts.

These practices engage obligations under international law, including the prohibition of collective expulsions and the principle of non-refoulement, as well as the requirement to ensure access to asylum procedures.

Illegal Pushbacks
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We therefore call on relevant European and national authorities to take urgent action to ensure compliance with international legal obligations. This includes ending collective expulsions at the Morocco–Spain border, guaranteeing access to individual asylum procedures at all points of entry, and ensuring that maritime and land border operations respect due process safeguards.

We further call for the establishment of independent monitoring mechanisms for border enforcement activities in Ceuta, Melilla, and Mediterranean crossing zones, as well as accountability measures where violations are identified.

This petition is directed to the European Parliament, the European Commission, and Spanish authorities responsible for border management and migration policy

Why This Matters

When people are pushed back, the consequences are immediate and severe. They are exposed to further harm, left without protection, and forced into even more dangerous situations along irregular migration routes.

Their rights are not just overlooked—they are actively denied under systems that often ignore migrant human rights violations and weaken refugee rights Europe protections.

When this continues without accountability, it becomes normalized. And when it becomes normalized, it becomes harder to challenge.

We call on policymakers to:

  • Immediately end illegal pushbacks and ensure access to asylum procedures for all arriving at borders (protect asylum seekers / right to asylum)
  • Establish independent monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability at border crossings (stop border violence / border violence migrants)
  • Guarantee legal protections and access to support for all people seeking protection, including interpreters, legal assistance, and fair procedures (asylum seeker rights)
  • Hold authorities accountable when illegal pushbacks, abuse, or violence occur (refugee rights violations examples)
  • By signing this petition, you are urging governments and institutions to respect human rights, protect the right to seek asylum, and manage borders lawfully and safely.

Our Work on the Ground

Through our work, we have collaborated directly with migrants and communities affected by the migration crisis. We have seen firsthand the impact of exclusion, lack of protection, and systemic barriers.

Our approach uses public art, storytelling, and skill-building to bring visibility to these realities. By working alongside those directly affected, we aim not only to raise awareness, but to push for meaningful and lasting change.

This includes highlighting issues such as border violence migrants experience, human rights at borders, and broader failures in global migration governance.

What can you do to help?

By signing this petition, you are joining thousands of supporters to send a clear message directly to policymakers, urging them to end illegal pushbacks and ensure safe, legal access to asylum.

After signing, you’ll get an automatic email confirming your support. Your information will remain secure and will not be shared, sold, or rented to any third parties, except as explained in our privacy policy.

📚 Sources for Further Reading

To learn more from authoritative sources:

In Summary

Illegal pushbacks are border practices that forcibly return asylum seekers and migrants across borders without due process, denying them the chance to seek protection or have their individual cases reviewed. They violate foundational international legal principles like non-refoulement and collective expulsion prohibitions, and they often involve violence, harsh treatment, or abandonment in dangerous conditions. Because of this, illegal pushbacks are considered severe human rights violations and are illegal under international law.