Leader of Melilla's party popular with Moroccan community arrested

Spanish police arrested Mustapha Aberchan, the leader of the opposition political party Coalition for Melilla (CpM), on Tuesday. Aberchan is accused of «electoral fraud» (during the 2023 municipal elections campaign), «influence peddling, and embezzlement in the awarding of public contracts», according to Iberian media reports.

Police also arrested six other CpM members and conducted searches of their homes and offices.

CpM was previously part of a coalition government that included the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and was led by Eduardo de Castro, a former member of Ciudadanos party. De Castro served as mayor from June 2019 to July 2023.

Iberian media have not reported any arrests of former socialist leaders or the former mayor at this time.

The Coalition for Melilla is a popular party among the indigenous Muslim community of Moroccan origin in Melilla.