Italy must allow migrants on NGO vessels to disembark: Human Rights Watch

Migrants disembark from a coast guard vessel, after arriving by the hundreds packed on boats, on the southern island of Lampedusa, Italy, May 9, 2021. (Reuters/File)

• ‘The government’s actions cruelly expose survivors of abuse in Libya to potential further harm’
• UN: ‘Reasonable grounds’ to believe ‘crimes against humanity committed against migrants in Libya’

LONDON: Human Rights Watch has criticized Italy for refusing entry to two NGO rescue vessels carrying hundreds of people from Libya, labeling the move a “violation” of the European country’s human rights obligations.
Last weekend, the two ships — Humanity 1 and Geo Barents — docked in the port of Catania in Sicily.
But following the entry refusal, the vessels were ordered to move back to international waters, though large numbers of passengers were allowed to disembark following vulnerability assessments. In total, 144 people left Humanity 1 and 357 people disembarked Geo Barents.
However, HRW said the assessments conducted by authorities only involved two doctors and risked overlooking large numbers of vulnerable passengers.
Following the incident, two people on the ships collapsed and were medically evacuated by Italian authorities.
Giulia Tranchina, Europe and Central Asia researcher at HRW, said: “The government’s actions cruelly expose survivors of abuse in Libya to potential further harm, and deny them their right to seek asylum in defiance of Italian and international law.
“No one should be deliberately exposed to degrading conditions, and everyone should be allowed to disembark and have their claims for international protection fairly processed.
“Trapping people on ships or stranding them at sea is not serious immigration policy: It’s just inhumane and unlawful theater.
“Rather than violating people’s rights and alienating European partners, Italy should be advocating a predictable system for people to disembark and the resumption of state-led European search and rescue operations, alongside an equitable system for sharing responsibility for migrants and asylum seekers.”
The captains of both vessels have refused to follow the Italian exit order, and both ships remain in Italian waters.
Since Oct. 20, NGO vessels have rescued about 1,000 people, mainly hailing from Libya.
The UN warned in June that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that “crimes against humanity are being committed against migrants in Libya.”
A report by the organization warned that migrants face “murder, enforced disappearance, torture, enslavement, sexual violence, rape and other inhumane acts.”