More than 40 humanitarian and civil rights organizations are urging the European Commission to suspend its financial support for the Libyan coast guard, following allegations that Libyan authorities opened fire on a rescue vessel in international waters.

In a letter addressed to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner and Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, the organizations criticized the EU’s ongoing cooperation with Libya, saying that human rights are being sacrificed in the name of border control.

"Human lives must not be disregarded in the name of border control," the letter stated. "The European Commission must restore the rule of law at its maritime border; suspend cooperation with Libya without further delay," it read.

Shooting part of Libya's cycle of aggression towards migrants and humanitarian workers

According to the NGO SOS Méditerranée, the Libyan coast guard fired upon the Ocean Viking, a rescue ship, while it was operating in international waters in August. The reported incident occurred approximately 40 nautical miles off the Libyan coast and lasted for around 20 minutes. The Ocean Viking was conducting a search operation for a vessel in distress at the time and already had 87 rescued individuals on board. No injuries were reported.

In the letter, the NGOs described the incident as part of a broader pattern of aggression toward both people in distress at sea and the humanitarian crews assisting them. They also highlighted the ongoing lack of accountability within Libya for the violent actions.

Since 2017, the European Commission has supported an Italian-led initiative to cooperate with the Libyan coast guard, allocating roughly 59 million euros (about 69.5 million USD) to the effort, according to EU sources.

"Eight years of EU support has not improved this actor’s human rights records, but enabled and legitimized abuses," the NGOs wrote in the letter.

A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed receipt of the letter and reiterated earlier remarks made in August, noting that Libyan authorities are investigating the reported shooting and that Brussels is awaiting the outcome of that inquiry.

“All parties, through a search and risk cooperation, must fully respect international law and international maritime law,” the spokesman said. "If we want to improve the situation, we need to remain engaged. This is what we have been doing, and we will continue to do so at a different level," he added.

With DPA