Italy Sends Migrants Back to Abusive Conditions

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Rome, Italy – Italy and Libya are two countries facing scrutiny by human rights activist world wide, specifically Human Rights Watch (HRW).  In May of 2009 the two countries came to an agreement that they would work together in reducing the amount of migrant workers who flee Libya to seek asylum in Italy, via sailing through the Mediterranean Sea.  The agreement included instituting a practice of towing boats found in international waters back to Libya without evaluating the conditions and circumstances of those on the boats.  What has resulted in response to the “interdiction program” is thousands of individuals have been sent back to unfavorable living conditions in Libya.  According to one migrant worker who was able to find refuge in Italy, the migrant workers are treated horrendously.  Many are beaten, forced to live in unsanitary quarters, while women are sexually assaulted by law enforcement.  Many of these workers come from different parts of the Central East Region of Africa including Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea.

According to a 92 page report by HRW the details of the experiences of migrant workers in Libya are revealed.  The agreement between Libya and Italy stems from a treaty signed by the two countries in August of 2008. This treaty is known as, “the Treaty of Friendship, Partnership, and Cooperation between the Italian Republic and Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiria” or simply, “the Friendship Pact.”  The Friendship Pact called for intensifying cooperation in fighting terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration.  The transfer of boats holding migrant workers to Libya by the Italians are one of the acts that fall under the goals of the Friendship Pact.

The issue however is that Italy is violating the international legal principle of non-refoulement, when it interdicts boats and sends them back to Libya without any evaluation of the circumstances regarding those on the boats.  Refoulement is the forced return of people to places where their lives and freedom could be threatened or subject to torture and degrading treatment.  Here many are sent back to Libya only to return to inhumane conditions.  HRW is urging the government of Italy to stop “summarily returning” boats containing migrants to Libya.  The HRW is also encouraging the European Union, who is currently working on an agreement with Libya, to include an end to the inhumane treatment of migrants in Libya.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Libya: Migrants Returned to Face Abuse – 21 September 2009

HRW – Migrants Describe Forced Returns, Abuse – 21 September 2009

IPS – Migrants Returned to Face Abuse – 21 September 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive