AYS News Digest 15/2/2023: Italy SAR decree becomes law
Lesbos is “back to normal” // Poland: don’t detain vulnerable man // Death as squat evicted in Brussels // UK politicians need to take a stand against violence // EU policy creates “business for smugglers” // Frontex commits crimes
FEATURE
Italy SAR decree becomes law
The Italian government has passed into law a decree which further criminalises civil groups performing rescues at sea.
As reported previously in the Digest, the decree states that rescue ships must disembark their passengers immediately, without undertaking any further rescues. This is against the United Nations Law of the Sea, which states that a ship is obliged to rescue people in distress. Additionally, ports of safety are to be assigned by the authorities, which in practice means ships have to travel much farther with their rescued passengers.
The fact that the new law goes against international and European law has led SOS Humanity to call on the EU to take action against Italy.
The need for civil rescue ships is undeniable. At least 73 people are still missing after a shipwreck off the Libyan Coast. The boat was carrying 80 people, only seven of whom have so far been rescued.
GREECE
Lesbos is “back to normal”
The Greek Minister for Migration, Notis Mitarachi, has claimed that migration on the island of Lesbos is “no longer a problem”. The Greek island has been a hotspot since 2015, and the location of the infamous Moria Camp.
Whilst the management of people arriving may be more to the liking of local residents, the situation is clearly not “normal”. Mitarachi’s visit coincided with a deadly shipwreck which left three people dead and others stranded on rocks on the island.
2800 The number of people who arrived in Greece in December.
4600 The number of people in the reception and identification centres.
Police are targeting people on the move in Thessaloniki. First reported in July last year, a followup statement has been released by the Border Violence Monitoring Network which describes how police target those coming to access food from a humanitarian distribution site. The full and detailed report, which includes testimonies, can be read here.
POLAND
Grupa Granica are calling for a 26-year-old man not to be placed in a detention centre. The man from Syria suffered complicated injuries whilst crossing to Poland, his two sisters were pushed back and he recently learnt that his mother and brother were killed in the earthquake. He will be released from hospital but will require extensive rehabilitation, for both physical and mental health.
BELGIUM
Death as squat evicted in Brussels
A person has died whilst a squat in Brussels was being evicted. The building was being cleared with the intention of taking 250 people to reception centres. The operation by authorities was chaotic, a fire broke out and people were left on the streets without their belongings. The building was being used as there is insufficient accommodation provided by the state.
UNITED KINGDOM
Politicians need to take a stand against violence
One hundred and eighty organisations have signed a letter calling for a “clear stand” from political leaders following the attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers. The incident in Liverpool as reported in this News Digest saw violence against police and counter-protestors. The letter, which is addressed to all party leaders, points out that people wait for years for their asylum claims to be settled, and in the meantime have no choice about where they live and are unable to work.
The full letter can be read here.
The rhetoric around immigration and asylum is full of carefully chosen words. The Words Matter campaign was launched by the Migrant Rights Network, to address the use and misuse of language in relation to migration. The attack has brought this to the fore once again.
Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about love, but for women in detention it can be a harsh reminder of being separated from loved ones. Women for Refugee Women and the End Detention group sent anti-Valentine’s Day cards to the detention companies Mitie and Serco who make huge profits running detention centres in the UK.
SWEDEN
The Migration Agency Director, Mikael Ribbenvik, won’t remain in his role beyond May. Ribbenvik has been on the post for the last six years and reportedly would have liked to extend his term. The fact that it has not been renewed heralds a change in migration policy for Sweden, with stricter controls likely.
EU
EU policy creates “business for smugglers”
The Italian organisation Tavolo Asilo e Immigrazione, which represents several Italian groups supporting migrant rights, has condemned the EU border regime, stating that people are forced to risk their lives.
“Building walls, funding further initiatives of aerial surveillance and boosting border controls will not prevent people from risking their lives in search of security in Europe”. Tavolo Asilo e Immigrazione
Frontex commits crimes
The Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer has found that the law was broken by officers in relation to pushbacks, the separation of children and parents, as well as degrading treatment. The New York Times has published a detailed piece, which includes the fact that the EU has been aware of the illegal actions of Greek authorities and has failed to act.
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