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Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte (ILMR) : Please take action! Refugee Savers at Italian Court - October, 5th 2009

The German Captain Stefan Schmidt, the journalist Elias Bierdel and the first mate Vladimir Daschkewitsch were navigating their ship, the Cap Anamur, towards Basra, Iraq, in 2004 with a load of humanitarian supplies when they spotted a group of 37 refugees lost at sea in an inflatable raft. After ten days at sea, the Cap Anamur landed in Italy and both, Schmidt and Bierdel were arrested. The ship was impounded and the refugees were deported. The Italian government is currently prosecuting both Schmidt and Bierdel and is asking for a four-year prison (4 years!) sentence and 400,000 EUR fine. The International League for Human Rights raises a sharp protest against the attempt of the Italian government to criminalize the humanitarian aid of Captain Schmidt and Elias Bierdel. We call for an EU-wide solidarity with the accused.

The press release is available in German, French, Spanish and Italian.

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