Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and ex-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat have been accused of crimes against humanity over migrant pushbacks in a complaint filed by human rights NGOs at the International Criminal Court.
The European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights and Sea-Watch has called for them to be investigated over their individual criminal responsibility for the pushback of irregular migrants to Libya and the consequences of such actions.
“The current system of EU support for the capacities and operations of the so-called Libyan Coast Guard along the Central Mediterranean route is not saving anyone’s life. The evidence provided in the Communication suggests that these operations may amount to severe deprivations of liberty as crimes against humanity,” says Andreas Schueller, program director for International Crimes and Accountability at ECCHR.
He added that the inhumane treatment and detention conditions of migrants and refugees in Libya have been well-known for many years, and the country is not a safe place. “Under international maritime law, people rescued at sea must be disembarked in a place of safety. No one should be returned to Libya after being rescued at sea.”
Also accused are former Italian Interior Ministers Marco Minniti and Matteo Salvini, former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, the former Executive Director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri as well as Italian and Maltese Rescue Coordination Centre members and EUNAV FOR MED and the European External Action Service (EEAS) officials.
The EU and member states have provided significant financial and logistical support to the Libyan coast guard since 2016. The problem is that the accounts coming out of Libya from migrants tell evidenced tales of torture, murder, assault, rape, extortion, arbitrary detention, and other kinds of maltreatment.
“The Communication is based on first-hand evidence obtained through Sea-Watch and other sea rescue and civil society organisations, as well as investigative journalists, and analyses 12 incidents of deprivation of liberty at sea, highlighting the individual responsibility of high-ranking perpetrators,” the organisations said.
Despite the knowledge of the crimes and conditions in Libya, the officials named and EU agencies have “strengthened their collaboration with Libya to prevent refugees and migrants from fleeing Libya by sea.”
The groups have demanded a thorough investigation by the ICC, an immediate end to any policy from the EU or member states which aims to externalise EU borders by containing migrants in Libya, and that creates a civilian-led search and rescue operation which fulfils the duty to render assistance and disembark in a safe place.
(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)
Source: euractiv.com
