Actions
Direct Involvement
Refoulement by ProxyNGO Persecution
On 18 January 2019, the NGO ship Aita Mari was similarly denied authorization to depart from Pasaia (Basque country). Although it had never conducted any humanitarian activities before, clearance was denied preemptively, on the basis that EU States had not agreed on points of disembarkation for rescued “migrants”, leading authorities to fear “dangers for the rescued people and crew and pollution caused by delays in disembarkation.” Only in November 2019 the ship was allowed to depart, eventually rescuing 78 individuals which were disembarked in Pozzallo (Sicily, Italy).