The NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans announced its appeal against the administrative detention that was imposed on its ship, Mare Jonio, in Porto Empedocle, Sicily, following the disembarkation of 58 migrants.
"We will appeal the administrative detention measure, our attorneys are already at work. But before this happens, we will send the competent institutional and judicial authorities the report with direct witness accounts and a first health evaluation, that attests to the situation we found when we rescued these persons," commented Sheila Melosu, Head of Mission on board the Mare Jonio boat, which is operated by the sea rescue organization Mediterranea Saving Humans.
The ship has been under administrative detention since October 15 at Empedocle Port in Sicily. It was placed into detention soon after it disembarked 58 migrants. The detention includes a block on sailing for 20 days and a 4,000 euro fine.
"For the third time our ship, Mare Jonio, has been hit by the Piantedosi Decree after having rescued human lives at risk at sea," declared Laura Marmorale, President of Mediterranea Saving Humans.
Just a few weeks ago, the Mare Jonio ship was placed in administrative detention in the Sicilian port of Trapani. "This time the reason [for the administrative detention] is extremely serious: we have been accused of carrying out rescue activities without the authorization of the flag state. A specious and persecutory motivation. They have placed a 20-day block on us, and applied a fine of 4,000 euros. I want to say this clearly to [Italian Interior] Minister Piantedosi and [Italian leader] Premier Meloni: saving human lives at sea is an ethical duty and a judicial obligation. You will not prevent us from continuing to be humane," warned Marmorale.
Read AlsoItaly claims migration policy is helping to prevent Mediterranean crossings
People rescued by Mediterranea recount the abuses they suffered
The 58 shipwrecked persons rescued by the crew of the ship Mare Jonio and disembarked on October 15 at Porto Empedocle are relatively young. The organization said that their ages range from 16 to 25 years old.
Many of them have wounds on different parts of their bodies and scars caused by the torture they say they suffered in Libya. Some of them told Mediterranea Saving Humans' rescue workers they had participated in peace marches in Bangladesh against the new government and that following the protests, they were labeled as opposition members, persecuted and some of them were arrested.
One of them, once he left his country of origin and arrived in Libya, was caught by local smugglers and taken to a detention camp where he was tortured allegedly for 23 days, before being set free thanks to his family who paid 7,000 euros.
The family of another young boy, who is still in Libya, was forced to sell their home in Bangladesh to be able to send 13,000 euros. Others recounted how they paid up to 20,000 euros to be set free from the detention camps.