Prosecutor requests dismissal of the Iuventa case in Trapani involving migrants
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The Trapani Prosecutor’s Office has requested the non-indictment of all the defendants in the Iuventa case “because the act does not constitute a crime” and the return of the seized rescue ship in 2017. The news was reported by Radio Radicale journalist Sergio Scandura. Francesca Cancellaro, a lawyer for the crew members of the ship, stated that they are satisfied with the request from the Judge, but they will still do their part as they have different arguments.
An observer from the UN is expected to arrive at the Iuventa trial, where four crew members of a German NGO’s ship are accused in Trapani of aiding illegal immigration. After two years of preliminary hearings, the prosecution’s closing arguments are expected today in what NGOs have called “the largest, most expensive, and complex legal case against civil rescue members at sea.”
Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) will send observers to Trapani to witness the final days of the trial, from today until March 2, when the sentence is due. Mary Lawlor, a Special Rapporteur from the United Nations Council on Human Rights, expressed concern about the case and emphasized the importance of solidarity with migrants. The trial against the Iuventa crew remains a stain on Italy and the European Union’s commitment to human rights.
The Iuventa case started in the summer of 2017 when the government led by Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Marco Minniti introduced a “code of conduct” for NGOs involved in sea rescue operations. Jugend Rettet, among others, refused to sign the code before the July 31 deadline. On August 2, 2017, the Iuventa ship was seized on the suspicion of aiding illegal migration and colluding with traffickers during rescue operations in 2016 and 2017.
Migranti, caso Iuventa a Trapani: la Procura chiede il non luogo a procedere
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