Trial for Spanish refugee rescue volunteers charged with 'human trafficking'

THREE Spanish firemen who were arrested on the Greek island of Lesbos two years ago charged with 'human trafficking' are about to face trial, and have hit out at how aid work is being systematically 'criminalised'.

Manuel Blanco, Enrique Rodríguez and Julio Latorre, from Sevilla, joined the charity Proem-Aid in January 2016 as volunteers to help refugees, rescuing desperate migrants who were drowning in the Mediterranean in an attempt to reach a safe haven from war, poverty and persecution.

The three firefighters spent several days in a police cell before being granted bail to the tune of €5,000 a head.

“This is a trial that goes far beyond our own situation – it's humanitarian aid that's going to be on trial,” said Manuel.

“If we're found guilty, all the other people who are helping refugees will think twice before carrying on with their work.

“They're criminalising aid work and penalising charity.”

The volunteers explain that all those who help in the rescue operations follow strict procedures and report to local authorities and the Spanish embassy before going ahead.

“If charities or NGOs work with refugees, it's to fill a gap left by the governments in the help provided – and if this aid work is criminalised, these gaps will no longer be filled,” Manuel explains.

He and Enrique and Julio could face up to 10 years each in jail for every single refugee they rescued – despite the fact that they had no migrants on board their boat when they were caught.

At the time of their arrest, they were on a lifeboat along with members of the Danish charity Team Humanity, which had been alerted of drowning migrants – but once they arrived at the scene of the alleged disaster, they did not see anyone there and returned to base.

They were pulled up by Greek coastguard officials at the port in Lesbos.

Proem-Aid's team says the charges against them are 'vague' and 'hypothetical', since with no migrants on their boat, they were accused of 'attempted human trafficking'.

“You can't be tried for intending to do something if you haven't actually done it; it's surreal,” the volunteers say.

The two Danes from Team Humanity they were sailing with are also on trial and will, provisionally, appear in court in the capital town of Lesbos, Mitilene, on Monday, May 14, although nine aborted dates for hearings mean they are not sure whether it will go ahead or be shelved for a few more days, a situation that is causing them 'terrible anguish and anxiety'.

Despite their ordeal, the Spanish firefighters say they do not regret a thing and would do it all again.

“We've carried out some impressive work – we've seen that our hands were badly needed in Lesbos and in the wider Mediterranean and, if we hadn't been there, there would have been nobody to help the people we rescued. We can't just leave them to die.

“Once they're safe, the rest is up to the authorities to act as they deem fit – whether the refugees apply for asylum, whether they are eligible for it and in what conditions – but we cannot let the sea conditions decide their fate in the first instance.”

They have been overwhelmed by the shows of support from their compatriots, and Spanish foreign affairs minister Alfonso Dastis has promised that the Consulate will help them.

“I believe they are [in Lesbos] for all the right reasons: to save lives,” interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido admits.

“You have to respect them for their intentions.

“They've become embroiled, because of these good intentions, in a turbulent issue, but the Spanish government will be there to support them.”

A Twitter campaign under the hashtag #CondenadosASalvarVida ('Condemned to Saving Lives') has been backed by numerous famous Spanish TV and film actors, who stress that 'thousands condemned to die in the sea are relying upon [the firefighters'] being acquitted'.

Proem-Aid as a whole has saved the lives of over 50,000 migrants since December 2015, and the firefighters were on their third mission when they were arrested.

The charity has organised another 30 or so missions since their volunteers' arrest, and says it intends to continue with its work as it has not suffered any further problems with Greek authorities.

“If we really were the criminals they claim we are, they wouldn't have let Proem-Aid remain on the island for another minute after we were arrested,” Manuel concludes.

 

Photograph by Proem-Aid