The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) sees it as "necessary" to reinforce the on-call duty of the instruction courts of Ceuta and the specialized bodies in violence against women to process the procedures for alleged sexual offenses, in order to "address the migratory crisis" that the autonomous city is experiencing after the massive entry of people from Morocco on July 30 and 31.
In a statement released after the meeting of the Permanent Commission, the governing body of the judges emphasizes the convenience of this reinforcement and communicates that it has already informed the High Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla and the president of the Court of First Instance of Ceuta, so that they can submit the corresponding request.
At the same time, and considering the current situation, the commission has decided to postpone the dismissal of a judge with an expectation of a change of destination who acts as support in the court with jurisdiction over violence against women.
The CGPJ has examined a report that it had requested on August 5 regarding the situation of the civil and instruction section of the Ceuta court "in light of the migratory crisis that occurred."
Impact on the civil and instruction section
"The report warns that what happened those days has extraordinarily affected the development of the public justice service, especially the civil and instruction section of the Court of First Instance and, particularly, the provision of on-call service," states the CGPJ.
According to the data collected in that document, between July 30 and August 5, 96 preliminary proceedings for death have been initiated, 23 preliminary proceedings derived from detained persons placed at the disposal of the judiciary, and 15 urgent proceedings for events that occurred on those dates. In the week from August 5 to 11, another 72 reports with detainees or summoned individuals have also been recorded.
The governing body of the judges points out that, although the high court of justice and other authorities have already implemented "effective measures for the continuity of the service," such as the incorporation of magistrates to the on-call duty, the report emphasizes that the prolongation of the crisis "requires the adoption of longer-lasting and more stable measures," including service commissions "with or without the relief of functions" for magistrates and officials.
The report focuses on the situation of the Court of First Instance of Ceuta with jurisdiction over violence against women "due to the increase in the workload received as a consequence of the migration crisis, especially regarding matters related to alleged sexual assaults, and in light of the upcoming cessation of the judge in a waiting position who provides reinforcement services," according to the official communication.
Staff and resources reinforcements
The CGPJ also highlights the "need" to "temporarily increase" the "experienced staff" in the courts, both officials and a lawyer from the Administration of Justice, "until the crisis is overcome." Specifically, the requested reinforcement consists of a manager, two processors, and a judicial assistant.
Furthermore, the Council has conveyed to the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Cortes the advisability of "incorporating two interpreters and an urgent expert appraisal service for the on-call service."
Finally, it is indicated that the member José Antonio Montero will travel to the judicial bodies of Ceuta to assess on-site the situation and the needs arising from the current migratory context.