Resisting illegal push-backs to Libya is not a crime!
One year ago, a rubber boat with over 100 people on board left the coast of Libya to reach safety in Europe. Although they were found and rescued by the merchant vessel El Hiblu 1, its crew was ordered by European authorities to return the rescued to Libya. Through a collective protest on board, the 108 rescued people averted a push-back and prompted the crew to steer toward Malta. During the protest, nobody was injured and nothing was damaged. In public, they were described as ‘pirates’ and ‘terrorists’ but when the Maltese military stormed the vessel, they only met humans who needed protection.
Upon disembarkation in Malta, three teenagers of 15, 16 and 19 years of age, were arrested and accused of several crimes, including terrorism. “We escaped tyrannical and inhumane treatments in Libya to find life in Malta”, says one of the three. Instead of finding what they were searching for, they were imprisoned for nearly eight months. Although they were released on bail in November 2019, the El Hiblu Three are not free. They still face severe charges that could result in years in prison.
Lucia Gennari of Mediterranea explains: “European authorities should never instruct shipmasters to bring rescued people back to Libya since this constitutes a clear breach of international law of the sea and a grave violation of fundamental rights.” Jelka Kretzschmar of Sea-Watch emphasizes: “The attempt to avoid being pushed back has to be considered an act of self defence and a way to protect life which can’t legitimately be punished.”
Our international solidarity campaign – Free El Hiblu Three! – launches today. Passengers of the El Hiblu 1, sea-rescue organisations, international lawyers, researchers, activists, human rights organisations in Malta and beyond have come together to call for the immediate dismissal of the trial. Instead of being prosecuted, the El Hiblu Three should be celebrated for preventing an illegal push-back to Libya.
The three teenagers should be seen as heroes – they prevented 108 survivors from being returned to inhumane conditions in Libya!”, Maurice Stierl of Alarm Phone adds.
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Li tirreżisti pushbacks illegali għal-Libja mhijiex reat kriminali!
Sena ilu, dgħajsa tal-lastku li fuqha kien hemm ’il fuq minn 100 persuna telqet mill-kosta tal-Libja u waslet qawwija u sħiħa fl-Ewropa. Għalkemm kienu misjuba u salvati mill-bastiment tal-merkanzija El Hiblu 1, l-ekwipaġġ tal-bastiment kien ordnat mill-awtoritajiet Ewropej biex jirritorna lil dawk salvati lura l-Libja. Permezz ta’ protesta kollettiva abbord, il-108 persuna salvati evitaw pushback u din ġegħlet lill-ekwipaġġ biex jivvjaġġa lejn Malta. Waqt din il-protesta, ħadd ma weġġa’ u xejn ma nkiser. F’mezzi pubbliċi, dawn ġew deskritti bħala ‘pirati’ u ‘terroristi’, iżda meta l-forzi militari Maltin telgħu abbord id-dgħajsa, kulma sabu kienu bnedmin bi bżonn ta’ protezzjoni.
Mal-iżbark tagħhom f’Malta, tliet żgħażagħ ta’ 15, 16, u 19-il sena, ġew arrestati u akkużati b’diversi reati kriminali, inkluż terroriżmu. “Aħna ħrabna minn trattament tirraniku u inuman fil-Libja biex infittxu ħajja oħra f’Malta”, jgħid wieħed mit-tlieta. Minflok sabu dak li kienu qed ifittxu, huma ġew miżmuma fil-ħabs għal kważi tmien xhur. Għalkemm f’Novembru 2019 ġew liberati fuq pleġġ, it-Tlieta ta’ El Hiblu mhumiex ħielsa. Huma qed jaffaċċjaw akkużi serjissimi li kapaċi jirriżultaw fi snin ta’ priġunerija.
Lucia Gennari ta’ Mediterranea tispjega: “L-awtoritajiet Ewropej qatt ma jmisshom jagħtu struzzjonijiet lil kaptani ta’ vapuri biex jirritornaw persuna salvati lura l-Libja għax dan jikkostitwixxi ksur ċar tal-liġi internazzjonali tal-baħar kif ukoll ksur serju ta’ drittijiet fundamentali.” Jelka Kretzschmar ta’ Sea-Watch tenfasizza: “L-attentat biex tevita pushback irid jiġi kkunsidrat bħala att ta’ awtodifiża u mod ta’ kif wieħed jipproteġi l-ħajja li ma jistax leġittimament jiġi kkastigat.”
Il-kampanja internazzjonali ta’ solidarjetà tagħna—Eħilsu t-Tlieta ta’ El Hiblu!—tibda llum. Passiġġieri ta’ El Hiblu 1, organizzazzjonijiet ta’ salvataġġ fuq il-baħar, avukati internazzjonali, riċerkaturi, attivisti, organizzazzjonijiet tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem f’Malta u lil hinn, ingħaqdu biex isejħu għat-twaqqif immedjat tal-każ kontrihom. Minflok jiġu mressqa l-qorti, it-Tlieta ta’ El Hiblu għandhom jiġu ċċelebrati tali evitaw pushback illegali għal-Libja.
“It-tliet żgħażagħ misshom jitqiesu bħala eroj—huma evitaw li 108 superstiti jittieħdu lura fil-kundizzjonijiet inumani fil-Libja!”, żied jgħid Maurice Stierl ta’ Alarm Phone.
Informazzjoni kuntestwali: Din il-kampanja ġiet maħluqa minn alleanza ta’ African Media Association Malta, Mediterranea – Saving Humans, Sea-Watch, u WatchTheMed Alarm Phone, bl-appoġġ ta’ Stiftungsfonds Zivile Seenotrettung.
