Three times, the militias of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard have fired at rescue ships in the last months. Nevertheless, today the sea rescue ship Humanity 1 was detained by Italian authorities for having refused to communicate with the Libyan Rescue Coordination Centre which coordinates the so-called Libyan Coast Guard at sea. This marks a dangerous escalation in the crackdown on civil search and rescue while more than 1.700 persons died in the Mediterranean this year alone.
We will not be forced to disclose our operational positions to EU-funded armed militias who shoot at people seeking protection and our rescue teams. With these words, a coalition of 13 sea rescue organizations publicly announced that they would immediately cease operational communication with the Libyan Rescue Coordination Centre. The sea rescuers were responding to several incidents in which the so-called Coast Guard had fired at sea rescue ships and people fleeing, amongst others 20 minutes of heavy fire against the rescue ship Ocean Viking. Now the Italian authorities have responded to the alliance’s decision and detained the ship Humanity 1 in the port of Ortona.
“Something has gone dangerously wrong when those upholding human rights are punished, while those violating them are protected and actively supported by the EU and its member states,” says Janna Sauerteig, political expert at SOS Humanity. “The current detention of our ship proves this point once again. The EU must end its complicity in the daily crimes of Libyan maritime actors. Accountability must fall on those who violate international law — not on those who defend human rights and save lives in the central Mediterranean.”
The Italian authorities base their actions on the so-called Piantedosi Law – which obliges sea rescue organizations to communicate with the coordination center of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard in Tripoli, Libya. They are amongst others being forced to communicate operational positions to the militias.
“The attack on Humanity 1 is an attack on all of us.” says Laura Meschede, spokesperson for the Justice Fleet. “With their action against Humanity 1, the Italian authorities are now showing the intention to penalize the decision of the sea rescue organizations. If Italy sticks to its course, this will constitute a massive threat for civil search and rescue organizations. As not only SOS Humanity, but all ships of the Justice Fleet have suspended their communication.”
Credits: Marcel Beloqui Evardone