BackThe Spanish Ombudsman, Soledad Becerril, has written to the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, with proposals to improve the operations of deportation of foreigners currently being monitored by European Union Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States (FRONTEX).
Her recommendations are based on the experience of the Institution which, acting as National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (NPM), has supervised seven flights between 2013 and 2015. Becerril, who has just personally witnessed the boarding of one of those flights, with destination Islamabad (Pakistan), emphasized the importance of having medical staff and interpreters on board.
She has also suggested improving the medical check-up previous to repatriation to ensure that all the repatriated persons are in proper conditions to fly and also that, if the operation is cancelled, foreigners must be examined by a doctor.
Furthermore, the Ombudsman has reminded O’Reilly that the FRONTEX Code of Conduct establishes the possibility of recording the flights, especially in those which are susceptible of being problematic. Regarding the police officers and staff who take part in deportations, Soledad Becerril proposes that the Code of Conduct oblige them to show their identification number at every moment.
Source: Defensor del Pueblo, Spain
