THE choice by an Italian courtroom to dismiss a case in opposition to charities and their employees members working search and rescue missions within the Mediterranean in 2016 and 2017 is one step in direction of affirming that their organisation was working legally to save lots of lives, Save the Children mentioned.
Commenting on the ruling of the Judge for the Preliminary Hearing of the Court of Trapani to dismiss one of many instances in opposition to a Save the Children workforce chief of the humanitarian search and rescue mission within the Mediterranean:
Daniela Fatarella, CEO of Save the Children Italy mentioned:
“In the years in which the search and rescue mission in the Central Mediterranean was active, 2016 and 2017, Save the Children rescued almost 10,000 people who were at risk of drowning at sea. Among them were some 1,500 children, many of whom were separated from their families. We are very pleased with the outcome of the preliminary hearing and thank all our supporters who, even during these years, have continued to believe in the values of our organisation.”
Throughout the proceedings, Save the Children firmly rejected any allegations of unlawful actions in its life-saving operations, sustaining that it was responding to its humanitarian mandate and that its search and rescue actions have been carried out in compliance with relevant legislation, and beneath the co-ordination of the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (IMRCC) and different applicable authorities. Save the Children cooperated totally with the related proceedings, whereas persevering with to work all through Europe, together with in Italy to assist migrant youngsters, and expressed full confidence that the Italian judiciary would decide that no offences had been dedicated.
A courtroom in Trapani on 19 April 2024 dismissed the Trapani Prosecutor’s case in opposition to one in every of Save the Children’s workforce leaders concerned in search and rescue operations on board the ship Vos Hestia.
Ms. Jean-Paule Castagno – who, along with Mr. Andrea Alfonso Stigliano of the legislation agency Orrick in Milan, represented Save the Children’s workforce chief– additionally commented on the ruling, saying:
“The outcome of this preliminary hearing is the result of years of hard work, during which Save the Children carried out a detailed defence exercise, collecting and bringing to the attention of the Judge key evidence that did not emerge during the investigation. This evidence was ultimately decisive in convincing the Prosecutor’s Office to re-evaluate its stance to the point of requesting dismissal of the case.”
Now greater than ever, Save the Children’s ideas exit to all of the individuals who proceed to lose their lives crossing the central Mediterranean: within the final 10 years, that’s a mean of greater than 6 individuals per day, lifeless or lacking, chasing the hope of a greater future. It is important to place individuals and their rescue again on the centre of nationwide and European migration insurance policies.
Save the Children requires a shared duty of Member States and European establishments, with the creation of a structured and coordinated search and rescue system within the Mediterranean, the opening of normal and secure channels for access to Europe and the creation of latest mechanisms for household reunification, humanitarian corridors and evacuation for individuals escaping.
