African migrants allegedly abused by Mauritania

Mauritania's security forces have been systematically abusing migrants from other African countries, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says. According to BBC News, the violations have been exacerbated by a deal with the European Union (EU) and Spain, which aims to curb dangerous sea crossings to the Canary Islands, the rights group alleges. It documents how migrants and asylum seekers often trying to leave Mauritania have been subjected to rape, torture and extortion at the hands of the military, border personnel and other security staff. Mauritania has rejected the findings, saying it has taken recent steps to protect migrant rights. The European Commission has said its deal is ‘anchored’ in upholding rights. Mauritania has become an increasingly common departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe via Spain's Canary Islands by boat. In 2024, Mauritania signed a new migration partnership with the EU in exchange for $244m in funding. The HRW report details that between 2020 and early 2025 Mauritania had allegedly pursued an ‘abusive migration control playbook’, highlighting that in some cases Spanish security personnel witnessed the violations. Aside from the allegations of sexual assault, torture and extortion, the 142-page dossier also accuses Mauritania's security forces of racism, keeping migrants in poor conditions and other violations. HRW says all the victims their researchers interviewed were black, with many alleging that racial discrimination played a role in the violations they faced at the hands of the primarily lighter-skinned security staff. The report was conducted over a four-year period and included interviews with more than 220 people.