Med: Italy Steps up Criminalisation of the Civil Fleet as Dozens Die at Sea
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The crack down on the civil fleet by Italian authorities has intensified on several fronts over the course of the past two weeks. Criminal investigations were opened against parties involved in the rescue of 27 survivors in August 2020 that was followed by the longest stand-off in recent European maritime history. Following the closure of investigations related to the Iuventa rescue ship, Italian authorities have charged 21 individuals and 3 organisations of aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The Sea Watch 4 civil rescue ship, operated by Sea Watch International, was finally released after six months of seizure by Italian authorities, while the case is still pending before the European Court of Justice. Its sister ship Sea Watch 3, also recently released after a seven months blockade, rescued 363 people in distress between 26 and 28 February and more than 400 people were rescued by the civil re
Maersk Etienne case leads Italian police to investigate NGO
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NGO suspected of receiving money to take on migrants from Maersk Etienne
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Italy: Police operation against life-saving civil society organisation
02 March 2021
At dawn on Monday 1 March the Italian authorities launched an operation against the NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, which undertakes missions in the Mediterranean to save people in distress at sea, accusing them of receiving money in exchange for taking on board migrants who had been rescued by the Maersk Etienne tanker.
According to a report in
Mediterranea are under investigation.
A statement published by the Ragusa public prosecutor s office (pdf) says that the operation concerns the offences of aiding and abetting illegal immigration and violating the maritime navigation code.
The prosecutor s statement claims that