GREEN Party Euro-MP Jean Lambert has condemned the Italian government for criminalising 'good Samaritans' who offer humanitarian aid to victims of persecution after two German aid workers were arrested when their ship - the Cap Anamur - landed on Sicily carrying 37 rescued West African asylum seekers.
"These arrests are unacceptable," said the London MEP. " The accusation that the ship's captain Stefan Schmidt and the leader of the 'Cap Anamur Committee' humanitarian NGO Elias Bierdel would aid illegal immigration is totally absurd.
"They picked up their passengers in line with common maritime practice and informed the Italian authorities immediately. There was no 'illegal behaviour' by either of the men."
Mrs Lambert, vice-president of the Green group at the European Parliament and a member of the parliament's civil liberties committee, said the arrests were based on a deliberate failue to distinguish between immigrants and refugees - and were designed to intimidate and deter aid workers from assisting asylum seekers.
"The way the 37 Africans have been treated - prevented from landing for three weeks then held in detention - clearly demonstrates that for the Italian government there is no difference between asylum seekers and illegal immigrants," she said.
"This is part of a worrying trend in asylum and immigration policy across the EU, and leads to the criminalisation of asylum seekers themselves and, as in this case, anyone who offers them humanitarian or other assistance."
Mrs Lambert added: "The message this sends out is that if you go to the aid of a fellow human being in distress, you risk imprisonment - and this itself becomes part of a deterrence policy and undermines humanitarian action."
ENDS
For more information please contact Ben on 020 7407 6280, 07973 823358 or at press@greenmeps.org.uk