HRW report links EU policies to migrant abuses in Mauritania

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the European Union of contributing to widespread abuses against African migrants in Mauritania, including torture, rape, and arbitrary detention, according to Africa News.

The report, covering the period from 2020 to 2025, draws on testimonies from more than 100 migrants who described mistreatment at the hands of Mauritanian police, coast guard, and military forces.

In 2024, Mauritania signed a controversial €210 million agreement with the EU aimed at curbing irregular migration. Spain, which has increased financial assistance to Mauritania and deployed officers to work alongside its forces, was also highlighted in the report.

Titled “They Accused Me of Trying to Go to Europe,” the HRW investigation documents recurring abuses, including inhumane detention conditions, sexual violence, extortion, and forced expulsions.

HRW argues that both the EU and Spain share responsibility for these violations, as they funded border control efforts without ensuring safeguards to protect migrants’ rights.

Mauritania has denied systemic abuses and has highlighted recent reforms that ban collective expulsions and procedures to protect migrants’ rights upon disembarkation. the European Commission insists that its migration partnership with Mauritania is grounded in respect for human rights.