In a significant legal development, a court in Arrecife has announced that the investigation into a group assault that occurred on a boat arriving in Lanzarote will be handed over to Moroccan authorities. This decision comes after the Women's Violence Section of the First Instance Court in Arrecife determined that Spanish courts lack jurisdiction over the case. The ruling stated that the alleged events took place during the second and third days of navigation when the vessel was outside Spanish territorial waters, as confirmed by an official document obtained by Canarias Ahora.
The incident was reported by a woman from Guinea, who arrived in Lanzarote on September 16 after making the perilous journey during which at least three people lost their lives. The survivor claimed that she suffered sexual violence from other occupants of the boat, which had departed from Agadir, Morocco, bound for the Canary Islands. During the preliminary investigation, the court recorded testimonies from the complainant, conducted medical examinations, and identified three men who were also on the boat as part of the inquiry. Notably, the victim did not identify her attackers; instead, this was done by a witness.
According to the victim's account, the assault allegedly occurred while the boat was at sea, specifically during the second and third days of navigation, as the vessel took three to four days to reach the port of Arrecife. These circumstances clearly place the reported incidents outside Spanish territorial waters. Furthermore, the court document, as highlighted by La Voz de Lanzarote, indicates that the boat did not fly a Spanish flag, and there is no evidence suggesting that the suspects were Spanish nationals or habitual residents of Spain before the incident occurred. Similarly, the complainant did not hold Spanish nationality or residency at the time of the events.
Despite the court's initial decision on September 19 to remand the three detainees in custody without bail, this decision was reversed on September 24 following a report from the Public Prosecutor's Office, which requested their release due to the lack of jurisdiction of Spanish courts over the matter. This ruling underscores the complexities involved in handling cases that transcend national borders, particularly in situations involving migration and international law.
As reported by eldiario.es.
