Three police officers are accused of the repeated and multiple attacks
Sordid details of the alleged abduction and beating of migrants, including electric shocks and the use of pepper spray, by Maltese police emerged as evidence was presented to a court on Thursday.
Three police officers have been charged in connection with repeated and multiple attacks on black foreign nationals amid ongoing concerns about the country’s attitude toward immigrants.
When asked why they didn’t report the crime earlier, one victim said: “Would I have gone to the same department where my attackers worked? And would they believe me?’
Evidence presented in court detailed how the defendants searched for migrants sleeping outside and used Tasers and pepper spray on them while they slept, which happened “several times” according to witnesses. Other charges include putting an intoxicated black man in a car, driving him to another location and beating him.
Another saw a man arrested despite causing no trouble, then taken to the site before being attacked. A video released to police showed one of the defendants threatening a black man with a penknife while at the local police station.
The next hearing will take place on Tuesday (October 18), where the court will decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed with the case.
Malta, an EU member state since 2003 and receiving an influx of migrants passing through Libya and North Africa, has long faced racism.
In March 2022, the Council of Europe’s European Committee against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) expressed concern that Malta did not plan to introduce a form of legalization for long-term residents who could not return to their countries of origin.
Other concerns have been consistently raised about the country’s failure or delay in responding to humanitarian appeals at sea and the keeping of refugees and asylum seekers in unacceptable conditions in “degraded, unsanitary” migrant camps.
In October 2021, the country’s first anti-racism strategy was launched with the support of European Equality Commissioner Elena Daly. “We must deal with racism as if it were a direct attack on us,” he said at the time.
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