Italy Approves Clampdown on Migrant Rescue Ships, Fines Charity

Italy’s parliament on Thursday passed into law a government decree establishing a code of conduct for migrant charity ships, despite criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian groups that it will imperil lives.

The new set of rules is part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s efforts to crack down on the rescue vessels, which her government says encourage people to make the perilous trip across the Mediterranean from northern Africa.

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Under the new law, ships have to request access to a port and sail to it “without delay” after a rescue, rather than remain at sea looking for other migrant boats in distress, and disclose detailed information about their rescue activities.

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Captains breaching the new rules risk fines of up to 50,000 euros ($53,355), and repeated violations can result in their vessels being impounded, the law stipulates.

Hours after the parliamentary vote, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) charity said its Geo Barents vessel had been blocked for 20 days and the organisation fined 10,000 euros.

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Nicola Molteni, a deputy interior minister and member of the hard-right League party, told the upper Senate before its final vote on Thursday that “if immigration is not controlled, it creates exploitation, forced labour, illegal labour.”

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Government data shows 12,667 people have reached Italy so far this year, more than double the same period of 2022. {snip}

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