Seebrüecke International lends voice to free pylos9 campaign

Seebrüecke International a German Non Governmental Organization that want safe passage and an end to criminalisation of civil sea rescue has lent it’s voice to the free Pylos9’campaign.

Borderline-europe and 40 NGOs are at the forefront of the campaign to drop charges against the Pylos9.

In the early morning of 14 June 2023, a statement by Seebrüecke International said: “an overcrowded boat sank off #Pylos. Hundreds of people drowned while the Greek coastguard watched. 104 survivors were rescued from a luxury yacht after the boat had already sunk. 82 bodies were recovered.”

Hundreds of people, according to the statement are still missing and are presumed to have sunk with the boat. “Despite being aware of the maritime emergency, the so-called Greek coastguard made no attempt to rescue the people on the clearly unseaworthy vessel.

“The survivors were interrogated by the authorities even before they had access to independent legal or psychosocial support. As a result, nine survivors were arrested and wrongly presented as responsible for the massacre.”

Seebrüecke International further said: “They were accused of aiding and abetting illegal entry (as “smugglers” or traffickers), membership of a criminal organisation and causing the fatal shipwreck.

“Such accusations are common practice: according to a recent study by @BorderlineEurop , there are currently over 2,000 refugees in Greek prisons who have been accused or convicted of “smuggling”.

The criminalisation of people on the move, the statement said is often invisible and they are silenced through imprisonment and long prison sentences. This allows the authorities of EU states to further violate their rights.

“Together with over 40 civil society actors, we are calling for

– Freedom for the scapegoats for the shipwreck off Pylos!
– Drop all charges against the #Pylos9!

– Investigation and accountability of the Greek authorities for the Pylos shipwreck and for the human rights violations at their borders!
– Immediate end to the systematic and deadly violence at the borders!

– End the criminalisation of migration and the imprisonment of people on the move!
– Freedom of movement for all!”