ECHOES 12 - CIVIL MRCC

LIBERATION DAY

The man on the picture liberated himself when he jumped from a so-called Libyan Coast Guards ship into the sea and escaped an intended pushback to Libya. A few days after, the IUVENTA crew liberated themselves from a seven-year long odyssey of criminalization, after the court finally had to drop all charges. Celebrated as a public holiday in Italy, the 25th of April marks the day in 1945 when a call was launched on nationwide radio broadcast for a popular uprising and general strike against the Nazi occupation and Fascist regime in Italy. At the same time, still and again, rescue ships continue to be detained and blocked by the Italian post-fascist government, while the EU strives to tighten the externalization of its brutal border regime. During the last weeks, billion euro deals with Egypt and with Lebanon have been initiated to control and to deter migration movements…

For liberation of all, the struggles continue!

Since the beginning of the year 2024:

• 16,065 people have arrived to Italy and 68 to Malta by sea (UNHCR figures as of April 28), most of them autonomously

• 2,701 people were rescued by the civil fleet by more than 45 boats in distress (CMRCC figures until April 30)

• 474 people are reported dead or missing on the Central Mediterranean Route (UNHCR figures as of May 2)

• 4,492 people were intercepted and returned to Libya by the EU-supported so-called Libyan Coast Guard (IOM figures as of April 27)

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READ THE WHOLE ISSUE HERE: https://civilmrcc.eu/echoes/echoes-12-liberation-day-english/