Melilla. The Border Jail

Now Syrians scale fence at Spain's African 'fortress'
On the Spanish-Moroccan border in Africa, refugees pay smugglers, bribe guards to cross into European enclave.
Melilla, Spain - It used to be mainly African migrants who would try to jump the fence into Melilla, the tiny Spanish enclave in the northeast of Morocco, as they sought passage to Europe through the Mediterranean port.
More recently they have been replaced by refugees from Syria, Iraq and other war-torn places - and there are hundreds of them.
In 2014, 6,000 asked for asylum in this Spanish enclave but in 2015 the number is expected to be higher.

Melilla. The Border Jail

The fence, is a physical barrier placed in the limits of the Spanish city and Morocco. It is made of 3 parallel fences of 6 meters high and 12 km long each, with barbed wires above. A wire fence that provokes deep cuts in those who try to jump it. Views of The fence of Melilla, Melilla, Spain, Aug 03, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Some of these Syrian refugee have arrived in Melilla by Moroccan false passports in which they invest a lot of money. Of these, about a third are children. A group of Syrian refugees sleeps in the outskirts of the CETI, Inmigrants Temporary Stay Center, as a sign of protest, to request their departure towards the peninsula. These protest are repeated since 2014, Melilla, Spain, on April 2, 2014
Melilla. The Border Jail

Protests are constant due to the bad situation in which refugees are inside the CETI, ImmigrantsTemporary Stay Center of Melilla. The regulation states a maximun of six months, that are usually exeeded. A group of Syrian refugees in the outskirts of the CETI, Inmigrants Temporary Stay Center, as a sign of protest, to request their departure towards the peninsula, Melilla, Spain, April 2, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Organizations such as the UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or International Amnesty have been concerned for years by the blocking of refugees at the border. The Organization has collected testimonies reporting payments to organized crime in order to cross the Moroccan-Spanish border. Syrian refugees who have just passed the Spanish-Moroccan border waiting in the asylum offices of the Beni Enzar border in Melilla, Melilla, Spain, October 1, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Jon Iñarritu, Deputy of Amaniur, wonders: "What is the reason why Morocco is preventing the access to Syrian refugees to the asylum office of Melilla?", "Is there an agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Morocco in this respect?”. Accompanied by a translator and a policewoman, a young Syrian refugee deals with his asylum application at the Beni Enzar border offices of the Spanish settlement of Melilla, Spain, from October 1, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Cases of broken families are repeated over and over again since 2014. Dramas of men, mothers and children separated because Spanish institutions do not take them all together to the peninsula.. A young Syrian mother, accompanied by her son, cries while she is being separated from the rest of her family. Melilla, Spain, March 5, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

He came through the border of Chinatown disguised as a Moroccan carrier. He spent the night outside the Immigrants Temporary Stay Center, CETI. The man did not have any documentation, so he was not allowed to enter. An advanced aged Syrian refugee is helped after being treated by the emergency service of the Comarcal Hospital of Melilla, Melilla Spain, March 14, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Given that they are physically similar to their neighbors of Nador, Morocco, refugees pay up to 2000 dollars for a passport of this province, whose inhabitants can accede to the autonomous city of Melilla without visa. In case of being under eighteen, the price lowes to 800 dollars.. Young inmigrant together with two Kurdish refugees in the Immigrants Temporary Stay Center, CETI, Melilla, Spain, September 20, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

There are differences between the Syrian refugees and the Sub-Saharan ones. The Spanish Executive refuses to consider the latter as potential asylum seekers. According to ACNUR, almost 60% of those who try to jump the fence come from countries in conflict, such as Mali. Overview of the golf course (background on the right) and CETI (background on the left), Melilla, Spain, September 19, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

The majority of young people try to accede Melilla skipping the Moroccan controls to avoid paying the so called economic "bite" to the frontier policemen . A Syrian mother and her son, embrace opposite the center for immigrants CETI. The youngster has just crossed Beni Enzar's border running. Melilla, Spain, September 20, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

According to Ana Sastre, director of Awareness and Policies of infancy of Save the Children, " The gravest of all is that we are talking about an emergency situation that needs an immediate intervention. If negotiations continue being prolonged, assistance is put appart and the physical risk that children are running is ignored " . A Syrian mother with her three children in the CETI's suburbs, Stay for Immigrants Center . Melilla, Spain, March 8, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

"All I want is to be with my husband and my children. I don't think about anything else", says Sabha, who has two of her six children with her in Spain and the other four are in Nador (Morocco) with her husband, Mohammed. “Moroccan police humiliates us. The only option we have is to pay”. Sabha, 35 years old, a Syrian refugee from Erbil with her children. Melilla, Spain. September 16, 2015.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Luay was born in Melilla, son of Feras, a Syrian refugee, and Haalimah, from Morocco. “This is not a way of living. The only thing we want is to be taken in for a while. And once the war is over, we will come back to Syria”. Melilla, Spain, March 9, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

Salima,15 years old. She has been able to move to Melilla, while the rest of her family has stayed in Morocco and they can not go through. She lived in a deteriorated space of slightly more than 20 square meters. She is currently in Barcelona. From before 2014, the Moroccan authorities prevent refugees from accessing the Spanish border with their Syrian passports and documents in order. Melilla, Spain, March 9, 2014.
Melilla. The Border Jail

From the moment they arrive to Málaga, three NGOs, that are part of the Integral Reception of Immigrants Plan, begin their humanitarian work. These are Red Cross, the Migrations Catholic Spanish Commission Association (Accem), or the Spanish Refugee Aid Committee (CEAR). A young Syrian refugee, wearing a suit and carrying a suitcase, walks towards the taxis that will drive him to the boat wich will take him to Málaga, Melilla, Spain, Octuber 7, 2015.