A Greek court has cleared a group of 24 humanitarian workers who were accused of migrant smuggling for their role in search and rescue operations on the island of Lesvos. The ruling, delivered on Thursday evening by the Lesvos Court of Appeal, brings an end to more than seven years of legal uncertainty for the defendants.
The humanitarian workers had been charged with serious crimes, including belonging to a criminal organisation, helping migrants enter Greece illegally, and money laundering. The charges covered activities that took place between 2016 and 2021, a period when migrant arrivals to Greece were high. If convicted, the defendants could have faced prison sentences of up to 20 years.
In delivering the verdict, the presiding judge, Vassilis Papathanassiou, said the defendants acted with the intention of saving lives, not committing crimes. Greek media reported that the judge made it clear that providing humanitarian assistance does not amount to criminal behaviour.
Before the verdict was announced, the prosecutor also recommended that the defendants be acquitted. He told the court that there was not enough evidence to support the charges, especially the claim that the group operated as a criminal organisation. He noted that prosecutors failed to prove the existence of any leadership structure or organised criminal network.
One of the main arguments used by the prosecution focused on the defendants’ use of WhatsApp to communicate about migrant boat arrivals. Authorities initially claimed this showed coordination similar to smuggling networks. However, the court rejected this argument, with the judge stating that an online communication group cannot be considered a criminal organisation.
The ruling was met with strong emotion inside the courtroom. Observers said there was loud applause, and many of the defendants embraced one another after the verdict was read. Amnesty International representatives who attended the hearing described the decision as a moment of relief, but also a reminder of the heavy toll the case had taken.
Lesvos became a key entry point for migrants and asylum seekers in 2015, during the peak of Europe’s migration crisis. Thousands of people crossed from Turkey to the Greek island in small boats, often risking their lives. During this period, many volunteers and aid workers joined rescue efforts to help prevent drownings at sea.
Greek authorities defended the long-running case as a matter of national border security. However, human rights groups described the charges as baseless from the beginning and warned that the trial discouraged life-saving humanitarian work.
Among those cleared was Seán Binder, a German-Irish citizen who volunteered on Lesvos in 2017 with the now-closed Emergency Rescue Centre International. Binder said the verdict brought huge relief, but he questioned why such charges were ever brought against people trying to save lives. He explained that his work involved watching for distress signals from migrant boats and regularly communicating with Greek authorities.
Binder’s arrest, alongside fellow volunteer Sarah Mardini, drew international attention. Mardini’s story had earlier inspired a Netflix film. The pair were cleared of separate misdemeanour charges in 2023, while remaining minor cases against other defendants were dropped in 2024.
Humanitarian groups say the trial reflects a wider European trend of criminalising people who help migrants and asylum seekers. According to rights organisations, dozens of similar cases were launched across Europe in 2024 alone. Aid groups warn that fear of prosecution has reduced rescue operations in the Aegean Sea, leaving migrants at greater risk.
Following the ruling, Amnesty International urged the European Union to introduce stronger legal protections for humanitarian workers. Rights groups argue that saving lives at sea should never be treated as a crime.
The verdict comes as Greece experiences a new rise in migrant arrivals, particularly on the islands of Crete and Gavdos. Greek authorities say smugglers are increasingly using routes from North Africa due to better weather and shorter sea crossings. Despite this, official figures show that overall irregular border crossings into Greece fell in 2025 compared to the previous year.