16 Feb. () –
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned of what he considers a “worrying” bill with which the Italian government of the far-right Giorgia Meloni seeks to hinder the provision of vital aid to humanitarian organizations that They operate in the Mediterranean Sea.
Türk has explained that it is a “wrong way” to address this humanitarian crisis and that it will not only cause more deaths at sea, but it will punish both migrants and those who try to help, so it is nothing more than a way of ” deter” those who carry out this “crucial work” of assistance.
The measure, approved by the Chamber of Deputies and awaiting its analysis in the Senate next week, stipulates that the vessels have to go to port immediately after carrying out a rescue, making it necessary to ignore emergencies that may arise unexpectedly. additional.
“This new proposal forces to ignore the calls for help from those who are at sea simply for the fact that they have already saved others,” denounces Türk, who has also criticized that the ports designated to disembark the rescued people are “at several days” of navigation.
“Those stranded at sea will be forced to endure prolonged exposure to the elements, risking loss of life. Those who survive face further delays in accessing medical care, including for victims of torture, sexual violence,” he denounced.
Türk has also warned that the new law of the Meloni government also carries the risk of increasing interceptions and returns to Libya, a space that the UN has warned on several occasions that it cannot be considered a safe harbor.
In turn, those people and organizations that seek to help all these people are subject to more administrative obstacles, since they must register each of the people who plan to request international protection, running the risk of being penalized and their assets confiscated in error case.
For all these reasons, the United Nations High Commissioner has urged the Italian government to rethink the law and consult civil society groups, especially humanitarian and rescue NGOs, for a new wording of the measure that includes all the principles enshrined in international law.
