{"id":19194,"date":"2019-07-26T16:42:25","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T13:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.arsis.gr\/?p=19194"},"modified":"2019-07-26T16:42:25","modified_gmt":"2019-07-26T13:42:25","slug":"joint-statement-the-eu-must-stop-the-criminalisation-of-solidarity-with-migrants-and-refugees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/joint-statement-the-eu-must-stop-the-criminalisation-of-solidarity-with-migrants-and-refugees\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint Statement: The EU must stop the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants and refugees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Brussels, 26.07.2019&nbsp;&#8211; The criminalisation of solidarity\nin Europe is soaring. Researchers and civil society have identified at least 49\nongoing cases of investigation and criminal prosecution in 11 Member States\ninvolving a total of 158 people<a href=\"http:\/\/www.resoma.eu\/sites\/resoma\/resoma\/files\/policy_brief\/pdf\/Final%20Synthetic%20Report%20-%20Crackdown%20on%20NGOs%20and%20volunteers%20helping%20refugees%20and%20other%20migrants_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> in a recent study by the European research platform ReSOMA<\/a>. The number of individuals\ncriminalised for humanitarian activities has grown tenfold, from 10 people in\n2015 to 104 in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ntargets include volunteers, activists, NGOs, crew members of rescue ships,\nmigrants\u2019 family members, and also journalists, mayors and priests. The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/carola-rakete-italian-authorities-arrest-sea-watch-captain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> recent arrest of the Sea Watch 3 captain<\/a>, Carola Rackete, is just the\nlatest example of how people are being blamed for saving migrants\u2019 lives and\nproviding the humanitarian assistance which Member States are unwilling or\nunable to provide, despite being obliged to according to international and EU\nlaw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Independent\njudges<a href=\"http:\/\/www.resoma.eu\/sites\/resoma\/resoma\/files\/policy_brief\/pdf\/Final%20Synthetic%20Report%20-%20Crackdown%20on%20NGOs%20and%20volunteers%20helping%20refugees%20and%20other%20migrants_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> have found no sound evidence<\/a> for convictions in most of these cases. This suggests that\nprosecutions are often being politically used to deter solidarity and create a\nhostile environment for migrants. Policing solidarity further involves<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceps.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Policing-Humanitarianism-for-CEPS-website.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> suspicion, intimidation, harassment and disciplining<\/a> against civil society, with\nlong-term consequences for the rule of law, democratic accountability, social\ncohesion, freedom of association and fundamental rights in the EU. These\nmisguided investigations fuel the negative image of migrants as criminals and\nperpetuate the perception of chaos at Europe\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Criminalising\nsolidarity also distracts the public from the real issues in EU migration and\nasylum policies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>lack\nof protected entry and regular migration channels,<\/li><li>inadequate\nreception conditions,<\/li><li>violations\nof international obligations in Search and Rescue operations,<\/li><li>pullbacks\nto Libya and other EU neighbouring countries as well as pushbacks amongst\nMember States, and<\/li><li>lack\nof clear agreements on disembarkation arrangements.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most\ninvestigations and formal prosecutions are related to the vague definition of\ncrime in the EU Facilitation Directive which fails to properly distinguish\nbetween human smuggling and humanitarian work. But the European Commission has\nbeen reluctant to consider the links between the EU Facilitation Directive and\nthe criminalisation of solidarity as well as the compliance of the EU\u2019s anti-smuggling\npolicies with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights[1]. In addition, <strong>the EU\nprotects human rights defenders abroad but fails to protect people acting in\nsolidarity with migrants within its own borders<\/strong>.[2]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nEU institutions and Member States must put an end to the criminalisation of\npeople and organisations supporting those in need. To end the criminalisation\nof solidarity, we recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The\nEuropean Union institutions to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Revise\nthe EU Facilitation Directive by clearly defining migrant smuggling, in line\nwith the UN Migrant Smuggling Protocol, that requires criminal intent, such as\n\u2018financial or other material benefit\u2019 or unjust enrichment. The new directive\nshall not allow the criminalisation of humanitarian actors, by making the humanitarian\nexemption clause mandatory for the Member States.<\/li><li>Monitor\nearly signs of policing of solidarity, before it leads to the criminalisation\nof humanitarian actors. Such monitoring could be carried out by an independent\nobservatory linked to the proposed EU Rule of Law Mechanism, and through\nparliamentary investigations. The monitoring should not only include criminal\nconvictions but also all cases of criminal investigations as well as ongoing\nharassment and targeting of human rights defenders of migrants.<\/li><li>Set\nup an EU proactive search and rescue mission to address the gaps in\nhumanitarian protection of people on the high seas.<\/li><li>Adopt\nguidelines on the respect for the fundamental rights of human rights defenders\nand humanitarian actors in the fight against smuggling and other border control\noperations. Such guidance should introduce the principle of a \u2018firewall\u2019 in\norder to clearly separate immigration enforcement and civil society and\nprofessional mandates (including the role played by health, educational,\nsocial, legal actors, as well as labour inspectors and law enforcement\nauthorities).<\/li><li>Dedicate\nEU funding to strategic litigation and support of human rights defenders in\nEurope, with specific support to civil society in EU Member States experiencing\nrule-of-law backsliding.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Member\nStates to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7\n&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stop interference with humanitarian SAR missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;\nEnsure that social and health service providers, law enforcement (police) and\nlabour inspectors are not required to collect and share information with\nimmigration authorities, based on the principle of a \u2018firewall\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The\nEuropean Union and its Member States to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7\n&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Promote a conducive environment to humanitarian\nassistance and solidarity towards migrants. Remove restrictions to civil society\u2019s\nspace and prevent violations of the rights of human rights defenders, including\nsmear campaigns, threats and attacks against them, and other attempts to hinder\ntheir work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7\n&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Broaden and facilitate direct access to EU funding\nfor civil society under the EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-27,\nincluding for humanitarian assistance provided to undocumented migrants and for\nactions promoting EU values and the rule of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7\n&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Adopt and implement balanced EU migration policies\nthat include safe and regular pathways to Europe, including resettlement\nschemes, complementary pathways such as humanitarian visas and work permit\nschemes, and labour migration schemes grounded in the decent work principles\nand across skills levels that would contribute to the reduction of human\nsmuggling and trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>*If you wish to add\nyour signature to the statement, please write to: marta.gionco[at]picum.org*<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:11px\">[1] All people and civil society organisations have the right to conscientious\nobjection (Article 10), freedom of expression (Article 11), freedom of\nassociation (Article 12) and right to justice (Article 47-50). Humanitarian\nactors have the right to provide assistance, on land and at sea, especially\nwhen Member States fail to guarantee [migrants\u2019] right to life (Article 2) and\ntheir effective right to asylum (Article 18) and fail to protect them from\ntorture and inhuman or degrading treatment (Articles 4 and 19), forced labour\nand trafficking (Article 5). The right to humanitarian assistance cannot be\ndenied to people forced to live in destitute conditions that violate their\nhuman dignity (Article 1), without adequate accommodation or access to basic\nservices such as running water, electricity, heating, social assistance\n(Article 34) or health care (Article 35). Nor can assistance be denied to\npeople facing violations of their basic rights as a family (Article 7), a child\n(Article 24), an elderly person (Article 25) or a person with disabilities\n(Article 26). Finally, EU citizens have the fundamental right to good\nadministration (Article 41), which entails a responsibility for the EU\ninstitutions to issue clear legislation and guidance that protects the work of\nhuman rights defenders and humanitarian actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:11px\">[2] The EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders set\nout \u201cthat the activities of Human Rights Defenders have over the years become\nmore recognised. They have increasingly come to ensure greater protection for\nthe victims of violations. However, this progress has been achieved at a high\nprice: the defenders themselves have increasingly become targets of attacks and\ntheir rights are violated in many countries. The EU believes it is important to\nensure the safety and protect the rights of human rights defenders\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Association Europ\u00e9enne pour la d\u00e9fense des droits de\nl\u2019Homme, AEDH<\/li><li>Association promotion droits humains, APDH<\/li><li>Caritas Europa<\/li><li>Emmaus Europe&nbsp;<\/li><li>Eurodiaconia&nbsp;<\/li><li>European AIDS Treatment Group<\/li><li>European Federation of National Organisations Working\nwith the Homeless,\nFEANTSA<\/li><li>European Network of Migrant Women, ENoMW<\/li><li>FIDH, in the context of the Observatory for the\nProtection of Human Rights Defenders<\/li><li>Fondation Assembl\u00e9e des Citoyens et Citoyennes de la\nM\u00e9diterran\u00e9e, FACM <\/li><li>Instrategies &#8211; Inclusive Strategies<\/li><li>International Detention Coalition<\/li><li>International\nRescue Committe<\/li><li>Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe<\/li><li>Migration Policy Group, MPG<\/li><li>Missing Children Europe<\/li><li>Oxfam<\/li><li>PICUM<\/li><li>Protection International<\/li><li>Red Cross EU<\/li><li>Refugee Rights Europe, RRE<\/li><li>Social Platform<\/li><li>World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the\ncontext of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders<\/li><li>11.11.11\n(Belgium)<\/li><li>Accem\n(Spain)<\/li><li>Aditus foundation (Malta)<\/li><li>African Media Association (Malta)<\/li><li>Agency for Migration and Adaptation AMIGA, z.s. (Czech\nRepublic)<\/li><li>ARSIS Association for the Social Support of\nYouth&nbsp;(Greece) <\/li><li>Association for Legal Intervention, SIP (Poland) <\/li><li>Association pour la promotion et l\u2019int\u00e9gration des\nmigrants au Maroc,\nAPIMA\n(Maroc)<\/li><li>Association Support for Social Integration (Romania)<\/li><li>ASTI &#8211; Association de soutien aux travailleurs\nimmigr\u00e9s asbl (Luxembourg) <\/li><li>Austrian Red Cross (Austria)<\/li><li>Center for Public Innovation (Romania)<\/li><li>Center\nfor Youth Integration (Serbia)<\/li><li>Centre Avec asbl (Belgium)<\/li><li>Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York\n(UK)<\/li><li>Centre\nfor Peace Studies (Croatia)<\/li><li>Church City Mission Norway (Norway)<\/li><li>Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME)<\/li><li>CIR\u00c9 &#8211; Coordination et Initiatives pour les R\u00e9fugi\u00e9s\net \u00c9trangers (Belgium)<\/li><li>Cyprus Refugee Council (Cyprus)<\/li><li>Evangelical&nbsp; Lutheran Church of Finland, National\nChurch Council, Worship and Society (Finland)<\/li><li>FAIRWORK Belgium (Belgium) <\/li><li>Federaci\u00f3n SOS Racismo (Spain) <\/li><li>Filipiniana-Europa vzw (Belgium)<\/li><li>Fondazione Roberto Franceschi\nOnlus (Italy)<\/li><li>Forum\nfor Equitable Development\n(Slovenia)<\/li><li>Foundation for Shelter and Support to Migrants (Malta)\n<\/li><li>Fundaci\u00f3n Cepaim (Spain)<\/li><li>FundiPau&nbsp;(Spain)<\/li><li>Human Rights League Slovakia \/ Liga za \u013eudsk\u00e9 pr\u00e1va\nSlovensko (Slovakia)<\/li><li>Immigrant Council of Ireland (Ireland)<\/li><li>Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (Netherlands)<\/li><li>INSAN\nAssociation (Lebanon) <\/li><li>Integra Foundation Malta (Malta)<\/li><li>iuventa10 &#8211; Solidarity at Sea (Germany)<\/li><li>Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, JCWI (UK)<\/li><li>Jugendliche ohne Grenzen, JoG (Germany)<\/li><li>KOK German NGO network against trafficking in human\nbeings (Germany)<\/li><li>Kopin\n(Malta)<\/li><li>Legal Migration Association (Romania)<\/li><li>Ligue des droits de l\u2019Homme, LDH (Belgium)<\/li><li>Maisha e.V.-African Women in Germany ( Germany)<\/li><li>Maison du Peuple d\u2019Europem MPEVH (Belgium)<\/li><li>M\u00e9decins du monde Belgique (Belgium)<\/li><li>medico international (Germany)<\/li><li>MediNetz W\u00fcrzburg e.V. (Germany)<\/li><li>Migrant Integration Center Brasov (Romania)<\/li><li>Migrant Women Association Malta (Malta)<\/li><li>Migrants&#8217; Rights Network (UK)&nbsp;<\/li><li>Mouvement Ouvrier Chr\u00e9tien, MOC (Belgium)<\/li><li>Nasc, Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre Ireland (Ireland)<\/li><li>NGO Legis (North Macedonia)<\/li><li>Novapolis Association- Center of Analysis and\nInitiatives for Development (Romania)<\/li><li>OMANIAE VZW (Belgium)<\/li><li>ORBITvzw (Belgium)<\/li><li>Organisation d\u00e9mocratique des travailleurs immigr\u00e9s au\nMaroc, ODT-I\n(Maroc)<\/li><li>Oxfam Solidarit\u00e9- Solidariteit&nbsp; (Belgium)&nbsp;<\/li><li>PAX\n(Netherlands) <\/li><li>Point d\u2019Appui asbl (Belgium)<\/li><li>Praxis (UK)<\/li><li>PWEDE (Phil.Women in Europe for Development and\nEmpowerment)<\/li><li>Raiz Mirim asbl (Belgium)<\/li><li>RED ACOGE (Spain)<\/li><li>Romanian National Council for Refugees, CNRR (Romania)<\/li><li>Rosengrenska foundation (Sweden)<\/li><li>Sans-Papiers Anlaufstelle Z\u00fcrich SPAZ (Switzerland)<\/li><li>Sex workers Alliance Ireland, SWAI (Ireland)<\/li><li>Slovenian\nRed Cross (Slovenia)<\/li><li>SolidarityNow (Greece)<\/li><li>SOS Malta (Malta)<\/li><li>Stand Up for Europe (Belgium)<\/li><li>Stichting STIL Utrecht (Belgium)<\/li><li>Terres\ndes Hommes France (France)<\/li><li>The Critical Institute (Malta)<\/li><li>Touchpoints (Luxembourg)<\/li><li>UNDOK Drop-In Center for Undocumented Workers\n(Austria)<\/li><li>United Protestant Church in Belgium (Belgium)<\/li><li>Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen (Belgium)<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brussels, 26.07.2019&nbsp;&#8211; The criminalisation of solidarity in Europe is soaring. Researchers and civil society have identified at least 49 ongoing cases of investigation and criminal prosecution in 11 Member States involving a total of 158 people in a recent study by the European research platform ReSOMA. The number of individuals criminalised for humanitarian activities has &#8230; <a title=\"Joint Statement: The EU must stop the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants and refugees\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/joint-statement-the-eu-must-stop-the-criminalisation-of-solidarity-with-migrants-and-refugees\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Joint Statement: The EU must stop the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants and refugees\">Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anakoinoseis"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19194\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}