Italian parliament approves law targeting rescue ships in victory for Salvini
UNHCR voices its concern
The Italian Parliament has approved legislation that targets NGO migrant rescue ships and makes shipowners liable to a fine of up to €1 million if they enter Italian waters without permission.
The legislation was based on a decree issued by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and was linked to a confidence vote.
The decree hikes maximum fines for ships that enter Italian waters without authorization to €1 million from a previous €50,000. It also provides for the arrest of captains who ignore orders to stay away and calls on naval authorities to seize their boats automatically.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees expressed its concern.
Spokesperson Charlie Yaxley said that imposing financial or other penalties on shipmasters could deter or impede sea rescue activities by private vessels at a time when European states have largely withdrawn from rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean.
Marian Kamensky spiega bene il #DecretoSicurezzaBis pic.twitter.com/a7rCCRE9LC
— Mediterranea Saving Humans (@RescueMed) August 6, 2019
"NGOs play an invaluable role in saving the lives of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. The commitment and humanity that motivates their activities should not be criminalised or stigmatised, he said.
"Likewise, NGO and commercial vessels must not be requested to transfer rescued people to the Libyan Coast Guard, or directed to disembark them in Libya. The extremely volatile security situation, ongoing conflict, widespread reports of human rights violations and routine use of arbitrary detention for people disembarked back to Libya underline the fact that it is not a viable place of safety."
The UNHCR calls on states to build on recent discussions in Paris to establish a temporary, predictable arrangement for disembarking people after they have been rescued at sea, characterised by shared responsibility amongst States for hosting and responding to specific needs. Those talks were encouraging and should progress further in the interests of all, it said.