The ship belonging to the German NGO Sea Watch was detained for 45 days by order of the Viminale, the Italian Ministry of the Interior, which also imposed a fine of 7.500 euros on the organization. The vessel had rescued six people in international waters, including three unaccompanied minors. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stated that the NGO violated regulations. The organization countered by saying it does not collaborate with "Libyan criminals," reported the newspaper Corriere della Sera.
The measure is based on Italian rules governing the operation of humanitarian ships in the central Mediterranean, which stipulate mandatory vessel stops and financial penalties when the government deems there has been a breach. In practice, the ship is prevented from returning to the rescue area during the detention period. Sea Watch is one of the non-governmental organizations that maintain search and rescue vessels on the route used by migrants attempting to reach Europe.
The point of contention is the role of Libyan authorities in the rescue. Rome maintains that NGOs should follow the instructions of the competent coordination centers. Sea Watch states that it does not cooperate with those it classifies as criminals.
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Read the original article in Italian at Corriere della Sera.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed: citizenship is born with the person.
- New legal front opened
- Processes can still be filed.
- Individual assessment before any decision.
