Solidarity with human rights defenders intensifies | Institute of Race Relations

21.4.18

Solidarity with human rights defenders intensifies | Institute of Race Relations: Written by Anya Edmond-Pettitt

On 7 May, the trial of the crew of a search and rescue NGO ship who in January 2016 were saving lives in the Mediterranean will open in Mytilene, on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Danish-Iraqi national, Salam Aldeen (co-founder of Team Humanity), faces prosecution, alongside three Spanish fire-fighters, Manuel Blanco, Enrique Rodr�guez and Julio Latorre (all volunteers with Proem-aid). Unbelievably, these four human rights defenders face charges of human smuggling.

On 10 April, the IRR was invited to Berlin to participate in a solidarity meeting organised by ConAction with Team Humanity and Refugee Law Clinics Abroad. Keynote speaker Salam Aldeen spoke of the life-changing experiences on Lesbos and the ordeal of his arrest. Also speaking was Mohammed, one of those waiting to be rescued that night, who conveyed the terror of waiting for an entire dark night for rescue as water slowly filled the boat.