Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a damning report on Wednesday, highlighting severe human rights abuses committed by Mauritanian security forces against migrants and asylum seekers from West and Central Africa. The report, which covers incidents from 2020 to early 2025, details a range of violations including torture, rape, arbitrary detention, and extortion.

The 142-page document titled "They Accused Me of Trying to Go to Europe: Migration Control Abuses and EU Externalization in Mauritania," alleges that these abuses often occurred as migrants attempted to leave or pass through Mauritania. Victims recounted brutal treatments such as beatings, deprivation of food and water, and being expelled without due process to remote border areas in Mali and Senegal. Notably, children and asylum seekers were among those forcefully removed.

The timing of these reported abuses coincides with a sharp increase in funding from the European Union and Spain, aimed at curbing irregular migration. In 2024 alone, a record 46,843 people reached the Spanish Canary Islands from West Africa, with many departing from Mauritania. This surge led to the signing of a €210 million migration partnership between the EU and Mauritania and the deployment of Spanish police and civil guard units to assist local forces.

HRW criticizes this externalization strategy, suggesting it incentivizes the repression of migration and implicates Europe in the ongoing abuses. Reports indicate that Spanish officers were present during some of the arrests, raising concerns about direct involvement.

On a more positive note, Mauritania has made some strides in addressing migration issues. The country has welcomed over 176,000 refugees, primarily from Mali, and recently adopted national procedures for migrant rescues and management. These include bans on collective expulsions and commitments to medical and protective screenings, alongside increased monitoring and better training for security forces. The EU has also emphasized a "human rights-based approach" to its migration policies, adding contractual safeguards to ensure partners report any abuses.

Despite these improvements, HRW warns that the reforms are still fragile. Lauren Seibert, a refugee and migrant rights researcher at HRW, stressed the need for continued progress: "By going further to end abuses, Mauritania could potentially lead the way toward rights-respecting migration management in North Africa. For their part, the EU and Spain should ensure that their migration cooperation with Mauritania prioritizes rights and saving lives, instead of supporting security crackdowns that lead to abuses."

This stark report highlights the complex interplay between migration control and human rights, urging a reevaluation of current strategies to better protect vulnerable populations on the move.