In a significant legal development, an Italian court in Trapani, Sicily, has ruled to dismiss charges against the crews of three humanitarian organizations involved in migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean. The case, known as the “Iuventa case,” has concluded after nearly seven years, with all 10 defendants acquitted due to lack of evidence and absence of criminal activity.
The defendants, including crew members from German NGO Jugend Rettet, Save The Children, and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), were facing allegations of aiding and abetting migrant smugglers while carrying out rescue missions off the coast of Libya and in the Mediterranean Sea. However, the court found no evidence to support these claims, as the rescued migrants had entered Italy legally, thereby negating any criminal activity.
The case originated in 2017 following a tip-off from an ex-policeman aboard one of the NGO-operated vessels, alleging cooperation between the rescue crews and human traffickers. Despite involving more than 20 individuals, including the Italian Interior Ministry as a plaintiff, the court ultimately dismissed the charges against all defendants.
The ruling has been welcomed by the accused crews and the humanitarian organizations involved. Save The Children released a statement expressing relief at the court’s decision, emphasizing their commitment to legal and lifesaving operations during the peak years of the Central Mediterranean rescue mission.
Similarly, crew members of the Iuventa refugee rescue ship, which reportedly saved over 14,000 lives between 2016 and 2017, celebrated the dismissal of what they deemed as baseless accusations. They criticized the legal proceedings as a political prosecution by Italian authorities, aimed at discouraging solidarity with migrants.
The case has underscored broader tensions over immigration policy in Italy, particularly under the governance of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right administration. Italy’s strict approach to immigration and regulation of migrant rescue NGOs has faced criticism, with accusations of arbitrary repression against sea rescue activists.
Meloni’s government has pursued agreements with the UN-backed Libyan government to prevent migrant departures and combat human trafficking, further intensifying the debate over EU migration policies. Despite these challenges, the dismissal of the Iuventa case signifies a victory for the accused crews and a recognition by the Italian judiciary of the complexities surrounding migrant rescue operations and immigration enforcement in Europe.