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News > Italy

Doctors Without Borders Filed an Appeal Against Italian Decree

  • Migrants descend from the Geo Barents rescue ship, Nov. 18, 2022.

    Migrants descend from the Geo Barents rescue ship, Nov. 18, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/ @Antiogu60

Published 22 November 2022
Opinion

The interministerial decree was promoted by Vice President Matteo Salvini, who has backed the "Closed Ports" policy for years.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) filed an appeal against an Italian decree that held a boat carrying 572 migrants rescued on the Mediterranean sea for several days.

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The authorities prevented the humanitarian rescue ship "Geo Barents" from docking in Italian territory for longer than necessary to provide assistance and rescue operations.

"We filed with the Administrative Court of Lazio an appeal against the interministerial decree that was notified to Geo Barents on Nov. 5, 2022. This is not acceptable. Geo Barents has always acted in accordance with international maritime law," the MSF said.

"We denounce the illegitimate and discriminatory selection of survivors, which violates international law on rescue at sea and seeks to disembark only castaways considered 'vulnerable'," it added.

The decree was promoted by Vice President Matteo Salvini, who has backed the "Closed Ports" policy for years. By doing so, this far-right politician has sought to prevent the landing of African migrants who have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea.

Following this policy, the Italian authorities usually only allow the disembarkation of immigrants who require urgent medical attention. The rest of them must remain on the rescue ship, which is usually later sent to navigate in international waters.

On Nov. 5, the Geo Barents docked at the Sicilian port of Catania with 572 immigrants from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Syria. Only 297 women, minors, and sick people were initially able to disembark.

After three days, the authorities allowed the rest of the migrants to disembark as an outbreak of scabies had broken out and many of them were experiencing panic attacks and other mental problems.

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