The Organization, on the day of the ruling of no place to proceed issued by the Judge of the preliminary hearing on the investigation against various subjects who worked in the rescue at sea, recalls that in the last 10 years more than 6 people have died every day or dispersed in the central Mediterranean. It is therefore necessary to bring people and the safety of human beings back to the center of national and European policies on migration, through an assumption of shared responsibility by the Member States and European institutions.
“This decision, which comes at the end of a legal case that lasted almost seven years, recognizes the truth about our work and our humanitarian commitment to saving lives at sea, has declared Daniela Fatarella, General Director of Save the Children, commenting on the decision of the Judge for the Preliminary Hearing of the Court of Trapani who ordered the non-procedure against all the defendants, including one of the team leader of the humanitarian search and rescue mission at sea in the Mediterranean, launched by the Organization in 2016 and 2017.
“Save the Children has always been confident in the positive conclusion of this matter, in full awareness that the members of the Organization have always operated legally, in order to save lives at sea, responding to their humanitarian mandate and with the primary objective of protecting vulnerable subjects, such as unaccompanied minors and women potentially victims of trafficking and exploitation”.
The outcome of this preliminary hearing comes after years, during which Save the Children has continued to trust in the work of the judiciary, making itself available to provide every useful element for the reconstruction of the facts, so that the truth could emerge. At the same time, the Organization has strengthened its commitment on Italian territory in the reception and inclusion of migrant minors.
The organisation’s lawyers, the lawyer. Jean Paule Castagno and the lawyer. Andrea Alfonso Stigliano of Studio Orrick in Milan, have carried out a proactive and meticulous defensive activity, highlighting a series of decisive elements so that the Prosecutor’s Office itself could re-evaluate its position, so much so that it itself requested a ruling of no place to proceed.
Save the Children’s activity has always been carried out in full compliance with Italian law, in agreement with IMRCC, through continuous support and coordination with all the institutional actors involved, the territorial prefectures and the police authorities present in the ports of disembarkation and in continuity with the multiple activities carried out by the Organization to protect the rights of migrant minors, also in collaboration and support with the Authorities, since 2008.
“In the years in which the search and rescue mission in the central Mediterranean was active, 2016 and 2017, Save the Children has saved almost 10,000 people who were at risk of drowning at sea. Among them were approximately 1,500 children, many of whom were separated from their families, whom we kept safe and protected until they reached safe harbor. We are extremely proud of all this. We are very satisfied with the outcome of the preliminary hearing and we thank all our supporters who, even during these years, have continued to believe in the values of our Organization”, concluded Daniela Fatarella.
Today more than ever, Save the Children’s thoughts go out to all the people who have continued, unabated, to lose their lives crossing the central Mediterranean: over the last 10 years, this is an average of more than 6 people per day[1], dead or missing, chasing the hope of a better future. AND It is necessary to bring people and the safety of human beings back to the center of national and European policies on migration. It is therefore increasingly urgent an assumption of shared responsibility by the Member States and the European institutionswith the creation of a structured and coordinated search and rescue system in the Mediterranean, the opening of regular and safe channels for access to Europe and the creation of new family reunification mechanisms, humanitarian and evacuation corridors for people in leak.
“During the hearing, it was possible to illustrate and bring to the Judge’s attention all the evidence which categorically denied every accusation, as clarified by the request for non-proceeding formulated by the public prosecutors. What also emerged was the commendable professionalism and dedication with which all the Organization’s staff, and in particular the team leader responsible for the mission, operated for the entire duration of the mission”, declared the lawyer Jean-Paule Castagno.
Press
Tags: Trapani Save Children truth humanitarian commitment save lives sea recognized
