HUMAN rights groups denounced a lack of justice and transparency by Spain and Morocco today over the deaths of 37 migrants a year ago during a mass attempt to cross the border into the Spanish enclave of Melilla on the north African coast.

On the eve of the anniversary of the June 24 2022 tragedy, Amnesty International said that the Spanish and Moroccan authorities were “preventing attempts to find the truth” about what happened to cause the deaths.

Some 2,000 sub-Saharan African migrants tried to climb a border wall, which was followed by dozens being crushed, beaten and denied medical attention by security forces at the Barrio Chino border crossing.

Spain's interior minister has repeatedly denied that any deaths occurred on Spanish soil.

The Spanish Commission for Refugees (CEAR) demanded clarification of what happened in the interests of “truth, justice and reparations" and has called for an independent investigation after prosecutors shelved the only state probe into the deaths in December.

“This leaves the door wide open for such a tragedy to happen again, endangering the lives of thousands of people seeking refuge,” said CEAR director-general Estrella Galan.

Amnesty added that the families of 76 people who remain missing after the tragedy are still waiting for answers.

The Spanish and Moroccan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.