Open letter from over 180 human rights organisations together with Tima Kurdi, Alan Kurdi's aunt.

Today, on World Refugee Day, we demand full and independent investigations into the events, that those responsible face the consequences of their actions, an end to systematic practices of refoulement at European borders, and justice for the victims.

Ten years after the two shipwrecks off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, which claimed the lives of some 600 people and caused huge public outrage, more than 600 people drowned off the coast of Pylos, Greece, in the Mediterranean Sea. On 14 June 2023, once again, the European border regime killed people exercising their right to seek protection. We are shocked! And we stand in solidarity with all the survivors and with the families and friends of the deceased. We express our deep sorrow and grief.

To this day, countless questions remain unanswered. According to the survivors' testimonies, the Greek Coast Guard hooked the boat, causing it to capsize. Why was this extremely dangerous manoeuvre carried out? Did the Greek Coast Guard tow the boat towards Italy to push the people towards the Italian or Maltese area of responsibility? Why did neither the Greek Coast Guard nor the Italian or Maltese authorities intervene earlier, despite having been alerted for at least 12 hours? What role did the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex play?

Among all these uncertainties, one fact is unequivocal: this shipwreck - like countless others before it - is the direct consequence of political decisions taken to prevent people from arriving in Europe. This shipwreck stems from the impunity of illegal activities exercised by states at the borders and the legalisation of practices that aim to normalise the deprivation of migrants' rights. Activists and organisations have denounced the systematic rejections, the delays and omission of rescues, the criminalisation of civil search and rescue operations, and the cooperation with unsafe countries to externalise European borders and carry out rejections. Europe's migration and border externalisation policies cause physical and psychological violence, imprisonment and death. Stop diverting attention from your responsibilities - stop killing migrants!

So far, the European Union and its member states have shown no intention to learn from the past and put an end to the deaths in the Mediterranean. On the contrary, they have reinforced their lethal policies of isolation. Only last week, on 8 June, the Council of the European Union approved a reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) that led to a massive deprivation of fundamental rights, such as the right to asylum or the right to move freely.

It was only a matter of time before another shipwreck occurred, and more will follow as conditions in countries of origin, transit and departure worsen and border practices force migrants to take more dangerous routes. Since the Lampedusa shipwreck in 2013 we have seen at least 27,047 deaths in the Mediterranean Sea. One of them was Alan Kurdi. His aunt denounces this deadly shipwreck:

Dieci anni dopo i due naufragi al largo di Lampedusa, in Italia, che hanno causato la morte di circa 600 persone e hanno suscitato enorme indignazione da parte dell'opinione pubblica, oltre 600 persone sono annegate al largo di Pylos, in Grecia, nel Mar Mediterraneo. Il 14 giugno 2023, ancora una volta, il regime di frontiera europeo ha ucciso persone che esercitavano il loro diritto di chiedere protezione. Siamo sconvolti! E siamo solidali con tutti i sopravvissuti e con le famiglie e gli amici delle persone decedute. Esprimiamo il nostro profondo cordoglio e dolore.

Ad oggi, innumerevoli domande rimangono senza risposta. Secondo le testimonianze dei sopravvissuti, la Guardia Costiera greca ha agganciato la barca facendola capovolgere. Perché è stata compiuta questa manovra estramamente pericolosa? La Guardia Costiera greca ha trainato l'imbarcazione verso l'Italia per spingere le persone verso la zona di responsabilità italiana o maltese? Perché né la Guardia Costiera greca né le autorità italiane o maltesi sono intervenute prima, nonostante fossero state allertate da almeno 12 ore? Che ruolo ha avuto l'Agenzia europea della guardia di frontiera e costiera Frontex?

Tra tutte queste incertezze, una fatto è inequivocabile: questo naufragio - così come innumerevoli altri precedenti - è la diretta conseguenza di decisioni politiche prese per impedire alle persone di arrivare in Europa. Questo naufragio deriva dall'impunità delle attività illegali esercitate dagli Stati alle frontiere e dalla legalizzazione di pratiche che mirano a normalizzare la privazione dei diritti delle persone migranti. Attivisti e organizzazioni hanno denunciato i sistematici respingimenti, i ritardi e l'omissione dei soccorsi, la criminalizzazione delle operazioni civili di ricerca e salvataggio e la cooperazione con paesi non sicuri per esternalizzare le frontiere europee ed effettuare i respingimenti. Le politiche migratorie e di esternalizzazione delle frontiere europee causano violenza fisica e psicologica, prigionia e morte. Smettete di distogliere l’attenzione dalle vostre responsabilità - smettete di uccidere le persone migranti! 

Finora, l'Unione Europea e i suoi Stati membri non hanno mostrato alcuna intenzione di imparare dal passato e di porre fine alle morti nel Mediterraneo. Al contrario, hanno rafforzato le loro letali politiche di isolamento. Solo la settimana scorsa, l'8 giugno, il Consiglio dell'Unione Europea ha approvato una riforma del Sistema Europeo Comune di Asilo (CEAS) che ha portato a una massiccia privazione dei diritti fondamentali, come il diritto di asilo o il diritto di circolare liberamente.

Era solo una questione di tempo prima che avvenisse un altro naufragio, e altri lo seguiranno mentre le condizioni nei Paesi di origine, di transito e di partenza peggiorano e le pratiche di frontiera costringono le persone migranti a intraprendere rotte più pericolose. Dal naufragio di Lampedusa nel 2013 abbiamo visto almeno 27.047 morti nel Mar Mediterraneo. Uno di loro era Alan Kurdi. Sua zia denuncia questo naufragio mortale: 

"This shipwreck brings back my pain, our pain. My heart is broken. I am heartbroken for all the innocent souls lost, who are not just numbers in this world. 'Never again' we heard in 2015, I have heard it countless times. And what has changed? How many innocent souls have been lost at sea since then? I want to take you back to 2 September 2015, when you all saw the image of my grandson, a two-year-old boy lying on the Turkish beach. What did you feel when you saw his image? What did you say, what did you do? I, when I heard of my grandson's drowning, fell to the ground crying and screaming as loud as I could because I wanted the world to hear me! Why them? Why now? And who will be next? Since then I have decided to raise my voice and speak up for all those who are not heard. And especially for my grandson, the child on the beach, Alan Kurdi, whose voice will never be heard again. Please do not remain silent and join your voice to mine. We cannot close our eyes and turn our backs on those who seek protection.
Open your hearts and welcome the fleeing people who arrive at your doorstep.European migration policy must change now. It had to change long ago. It must provide safe escape routes. Building a wall is not the solution. Detaining rescue ships that save lives is not the solution. accusing people of being trafficked is not the solution. People are suffering and will always find a way to escape. You have the power to decide if they are forced to take dangerous routes because there is no other way out. Do something!"

This shipwreck off Greece, which will remain etched in our minds, proves that the Mediterranean Sea is not only a graveyard, but also a crime scene. A scene of crimes against humanity, with millions of privileged tourists continuing to sail freely through it every year.

For this reason, we demand an immediate end to (systemic) border violence. We demand that:

1 - Greek and European governments and institutions ensure full, thorough and independent investigations into these events. It is high time that there is complete transparency about what happened and that those responsible are held accountable. This includes officials who were directly involved during the decision-making process, as well as political leaders who facilitated and perpetuated the violent practices at the external borders for years. The right to justice for the victims and their loved ones must be guaranteed.

2 - The Greek government immediately releases the survivors of the Pylos shipwreck from the facilities in which they are being held and instead provides them with decent accommodation and all necessary support, such as independent legal advice, psychological support and the possibility to communicate with their families and friends. In addition, we demand the release of the nine detained men. We condemn the criminalisation of people on the move, accused of illegal entries and deaths at sea. These accusations aim to exonerate the responsible state actors.

3 - All European member states at the external borders stop using time as a weapon, delaying assistance and rescue. In addition, we call on the European Commission for independent investigations and targeted measures to stop the systematic practice of refoulement and lack of assistance at sea and ashore by European member states - widely documented events through the work of organisations and activists in recent years. 4 - The European Union and its member states provide safe and legal routes to Europe as the only solution to prevent further loss of life at sea. The CEAS, which further restricts the right to asylum in the EU, must not be converted into law. Furthermore, we call for the creation of a state and European rescue programme, which is long overdue.

Signatory organisations and activists:

Tima Kurdi

Abolish Frontex

aditus foundation

AED - European Democratic Lawyers

Afrique-Europe-Interact

Aftenergeia (Self-action) - political collective

AK Arbeitskämpfe, Assoziation für kritische Gesellschaftsforschung (AkG)

Alarme Phone Sahara

All Included Amsterdam

Amal Berlin!

Anarchist Solidarity

antira.org

ASGI - Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration

Asians of Chaos

Association for Justice, Equality and Peace (AJEP)

Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants - ASAM Türkiye

Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants - ASAM Greece

Asylum Links

Baobab Experience

Barnim für Alle

BIPoC Ukraine &and friends in gGermany

Blue Door Education

Border Forensics

borderline-europe - Human Rights without Borders

Border Violence Monitoring Network

Boza Fii - Alarm Phone Dakar

Bozen Solidale

Bridges over Borders e.V.

Café Zuflucht / Refugio e.V., Aachen

Cambiare l'Ordine delle Cose - Forum Nazionale

Campagna LasciateCIEntrare

Campaign „You can‘t evict solidarity“

Captain Support Network

Carovane Migranti (Italia-Messico-Tunisia)

Centre for Peace Studies

Channel Info Project

Chkoun Collective

Civil March For Aleppo

Clinica del Diritto dell’Immigrazione e della Cittadinanza Roma

CNCD-11.11.11

Collective Aid

Collettivo Rotte Balcaniche Alto Vicentino

CompassCollective

Convenzione dei diritti nel Mediterraneo

CopwatchFFM

CPT - Aegean Migrant Solidarity

Cuistots solidaires asbl

de:border | migration justice collective

Diotima Centre for Gender Rights & Equality

Droit de rester- Fribourg

Droit de rester- Lausanne

Dutch League for Human Rights

ECHO100PLUS

EMERGENCY

Ens Movem

EqualHealth´s Campaign Against Racism

Equal Legal Aid

Ermittlungsausschuss Hamburg

EuroMed Rights

Europe Cares

Feminist Autonomous Centre for Research

Flüchtlingsrat Hamburg e.V.

Flüchtlingsrat Sachsen-Anhalt

Forensic Architecture

Forensis e.V.

Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer

Freie deutsch syrische Gesellschaft e.V.

From the Sea to the City

Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)

Grupa Granica

Gruppo Melitea

Haitian Bridge Alliance

Hub Humanitaire de Bruxelles Médecins du Monde Belgique

Human Rights Association (Turkey)

Human Rights at Sea

HumanRights360

Humans before borders

I Have Rights.

Initiativenbündnis Berlinzusammen

Integra Foundation

Inter Alia

Internationaler Fußballclub Rostock

Irida Women’s Center

Irídia-Centre for the defense of human rights

iuventa-crew

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Malta

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Greece

Jewish Antifascist Bund Berlin

JG-Stadtmitte Jena

Jugendkulturinitiative Schwäbisch Gmünd

Just Action

JUZ Friedrich Dürr, Mannheim

Klimagerechtigkeit für alle

Kopin - Empowering Communities

kritnet - Netzwerk Kritische Migrations- und Grenzregimeforschung

Kuchnia Konfliktu Poland

Kulturkollektiv Semtex St. Pauli

#LeaveNoOneBehind

Legal Centre Lesvos

Lesvos Solidarity

Let's Bring Them Here, The Netherlands

Lighthouse Relief

Ligue Tunisienne pour les Droits Humains (LTDH)

Lungo la rotta balcanica

Lützerath Lebt

Maldusa

Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society

Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement

MARDi NGO

Mare Liberum

Mare*Go

Médecins Du Monde Belgique

Médecins du Monde Greece

Medici del Mondo Italia

medico international

MEDITERRANEA Saving Humans

Mediterranean Children’s Movement

Mem.Med - Memoria Mediterranea

Migrant Solidarity Network

Migrant Women Assocition Malta

migration control.info

MiGreat

Migreurop

Mission Lifeline e.V.

Mobile Info Team

movements without borders

MV Louise Michel

No Border Assembly

No Border Medics e.V.

No Border Kitchen Lesvos

No Name Kitchen

No Nation Truck

NoBorders community Athens

Non Una di Meno Venezia

Northern Lights Aid

Novact - International Institute for Nonviolent Action

Open Assembly Against Border Violence Lesvos

Paulo Freire Institute Foundation Malta

Plateforme Citoyenne en Soutien aux Réfugiés - BelRefugees

Pro Bleiberecht in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Project Armonia

Project Play

r42 - SailAndRescue

RAV, Republican Lawyers’ Association

Reclaim the sea

Red Antirracista Tarragona

Refugee Legal Support

Refugees in Libya

Refugees in Tunisia

Refugees' Solidarity movement

Republikanischer Anwältinnen - und Anwälteverein e.V. (RAV)

ResQ People Saving People

RESQSHIP e.V.

Right to Resist - linke Ukraine Solidarität Hamburg

Roots, Dunkirk

Safe Passage International

Safe Passage International AMKE

Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario

SARAH gUG

Sea Punks e.V.

Sea-Eye e.V.

Sea-Watch e.V.

Seebrücke

Seebrücke Frankfurt am Main

Seebrücke Jena

Seebrücke Kassel

Seebrücke Mainz

Seebrücke Schweiz

Sienos Grupė

Solidarischer Wohn- und Kulturraum Mannheim

Solidarisches Kollektiv Oberbadgasse e.V.

Solidarité sans frontières

SOS Humanity

Spazio Autogestito 77

St. Pauli Fanclub Dörte Becker

Statewatch

Stella Network North Macedonia

Stop deportation center BER

Sudan Uprising Germany

SUDS - Associació Internacional de Solidaritat i Cooperació

Swiss Democratic Lawyers

The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM)

Tunisian forum for economic and social rights FTDES

Ultrà Sankt Pauli

United4Rescue - Gemeinsam retten e.V.

Verband deutsch syrischer Hilfsvereine e.V.

VVN-BdA e.V. Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes - Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten

VVN-BdAN e.V. Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes - Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten Landesorganisation Hamburg

Walk Off Shame Europe

Was jetzt e.V.

Watch the Med - Alarm Phone

WISH - Lesvos 

WISH-No Borders

Wohn- und Kulturprojekt SWK Mannheim

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Germany

Women’s Rights Foundation Malta

Yoga and Sport with Refugees