SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Demonstrators hold a banner reading "Free Carola" during a vigil on July 2, 2019 in Cologne, western Germany, for Carola Rackete, a German captain of a migrant rescue ship, who was arrested in Italy. (Photo: FEDERICO GAMBARINI/AFP/Getty Images)
Judge Releases German Rescue Ship Captain, Saying Carola Rackete Was Fulfilling 'Her Duty to Protect Life'
"A big win for solidarity with all people on the move...and against the criminalization of helpers."
Jul 03, 2019
In a rebuke of far-right Italian leader Matteo Salvini's anti-immigration policy, a judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Carola Rackete, the captain of a German rescue ship, who had been arrested for bringing African migrants to Italy.
Rackete should not be held in custody, Judge Alessandra Vella said, because she had simply been fulfilling "her duty to protect life."
The captain was arrested Saturday for hitting a police boat in June when she entered the port of Lampedusa carrying 40 migrants, who she rescued off the coast of Libya with her charity organization, Sea-Watch. She had been under house arrest in Italy since then and potentially faced up to 10 years in prison before Judge Alessandra Vella's ruling. Last year, Interior Minister Salvini ordered rescue ships to stay out of Italian ports.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing. She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law." --Johannes Bayer, Sea-Watch
Rackete and Sea-Watch called Vella's decision "a big win for solidarity with all people on the move--including refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers--and against the criminalization of helpers in many countries across Europe."
Sea-Watch chairman Johannes Bayer said in a statement that the Italian government should be held accountable for shutting ports to rescue ships and for detaining Rackete.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing," said Bayer. "She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law."
"I'm willing to face the consequences for my decisions, as it is to be expected by a captain," added Rackete. "What about Mr. Salvini?"
Rackete is due to appear before an Italian prosecutor again next week, facing a charge of facilitating immigration illegally. Salvini expressed outrage at Vella's decision, writing on Twitter that Rackete would be expelled from Italy.
Sea-Watch moved Rackete to a secret location following the ruling, due to threats to her safety in recent days.
The captain found support both in her home country of Germany and in Italy since her arrest, as well as in other European countries. A campaign started in Germany raised nearly EUR1 million ($1.1 million), while many Italians rallied in support for Rackete and raised EUR435,000 ($490,000) for Sea-Watch.
Some impressions of the solidarity rally for #CarolaRackete in front of the Italian embassy #Munich#freeRackete #freeCarola #freeCarolaRackete #muc3006 pic.twitter.com/tKcTfh4SqS
-- Love, Beats & GrantlBass feat. MC Zwiderwurz (@LoveBeatsHB) June 30, 2019
Following Rackete's release, Sea-Watch turned its attention to the migrant camps in Libya where thousands are being held in inhumane conditions.
"After Free Carola it's now time to demand: Free Them All!" tweeted the organization. "Evacuate the camps in Libya!"
The group also demanded that Rackete's ship, the Sea Watch 3, be released and allowed to continue its rescue missions.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In a rebuke of far-right Italian leader Matteo Salvini's anti-immigration policy, a judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Carola Rackete, the captain of a German rescue ship, who had been arrested for bringing African migrants to Italy.
Rackete should not be held in custody, Judge Alessandra Vella said, because she had simply been fulfilling "her duty to protect life."
The captain was arrested Saturday for hitting a police boat in June when she entered the port of Lampedusa carrying 40 migrants, who she rescued off the coast of Libya with her charity organization, Sea-Watch. She had been under house arrest in Italy since then and potentially faced up to 10 years in prison before Judge Alessandra Vella's ruling. Last year, Interior Minister Salvini ordered rescue ships to stay out of Italian ports.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing. She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law." --Johannes Bayer, Sea-Watch
Rackete and Sea-Watch called Vella's decision "a big win for solidarity with all people on the move--including refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers--and against the criminalization of helpers in many countries across Europe."
Sea-Watch chairman Johannes Bayer said in a statement that the Italian government should be held accountable for shutting ports to rescue ships and for detaining Rackete.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing," said Bayer. "She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law."
"I'm willing to face the consequences for my decisions, as it is to be expected by a captain," added Rackete. "What about Mr. Salvini?"
Rackete is due to appear before an Italian prosecutor again next week, facing a charge of facilitating immigration illegally. Salvini expressed outrage at Vella's decision, writing on Twitter that Rackete would be expelled from Italy.
Sea-Watch moved Rackete to a secret location following the ruling, due to threats to her safety in recent days.
The captain found support both in her home country of Germany and in Italy since her arrest, as well as in other European countries. A campaign started in Germany raised nearly EUR1 million ($1.1 million), while many Italians rallied in support for Rackete and raised EUR435,000 ($490,000) for Sea-Watch.
Some impressions of the solidarity rally for #CarolaRackete in front of the Italian embassy #Munich#freeRackete #freeCarola #freeCarolaRackete #muc3006 pic.twitter.com/tKcTfh4SqS
-- Love, Beats & GrantlBass feat. MC Zwiderwurz (@LoveBeatsHB) June 30, 2019
Following Rackete's release, Sea-Watch turned its attention to the migrant camps in Libya where thousands are being held in inhumane conditions.
"After Free Carola it's now time to demand: Free Them All!" tweeted the organization. "Evacuate the camps in Libya!"
The group also demanded that Rackete's ship, the Sea Watch 3, be released and allowed to continue its rescue missions.
From Your Site Articles
In a rebuke of far-right Italian leader Matteo Salvini's anti-immigration policy, a judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Carola Rackete, the captain of a German rescue ship, who had been arrested for bringing African migrants to Italy.
Rackete should not be held in custody, Judge Alessandra Vella said, because she had simply been fulfilling "her duty to protect life."
The captain was arrested Saturday for hitting a police boat in June when she entered the port of Lampedusa carrying 40 migrants, who she rescued off the coast of Libya with her charity organization, Sea-Watch. She had been under house arrest in Italy since then and potentially faced up to 10 years in prison before Judge Alessandra Vella's ruling. Last year, Interior Minister Salvini ordered rescue ships to stay out of Italian ports.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing. She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law." --Johannes Bayer, Sea-Watch
Rackete and Sea-Watch called Vella's decision "a big win for solidarity with all people on the move--including refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers--and against the criminalization of helpers in many countries across Europe."
Sea-Watch chairman Johannes Bayer said in a statement that the Italian government should be held accountable for shutting ports to rescue ships and for detaining Rackete.
"We are proud of our captain, she did exactly the right thing," said Bayer. "She followed the law of the sea and brought people to safety. Instead of her, Matteo Salvini should be investigated for kidnapping and violation of international law."
"I'm willing to face the consequences for my decisions, as it is to be expected by a captain," added Rackete. "What about Mr. Salvini?"
Rackete is due to appear before an Italian prosecutor again next week, facing a charge of facilitating immigration illegally. Salvini expressed outrage at Vella's decision, writing on Twitter that Rackete would be expelled from Italy.
Sea-Watch moved Rackete to a secret location following the ruling, due to threats to her safety in recent days.
The captain found support both in her home country of Germany and in Italy since her arrest, as well as in other European countries. A campaign started in Germany raised nearly EUR1 million ($1.1 million), while many Italians rallied in support for Rackete and raised EUR435,000 ($490,000) for Sea-Watch.
Some impressions of the solidarity rally for #CarolaRackete in front of the Italian embassy #Munich#freeRackete #freeCarola #freeCarolaRackete #muc3006 pic.twitter.com/tKcTfh4SqS
-- Love, Beats & GrantlBass feat. MC Zwiderwurz (@LoveBeatsHB) June 30, 2019
Following Rackete's release, Sea-Watch turned its attention to the migrant camps in Libya where thousands are being held in inhumane conditions.
"After Free Carola it's now time to demand: Free Them All!" tweeted the organization. "Evacuate the camps in Libya!"
The group also demanded that Rackete's ship, the Sea Watch 3, be released and allowed to continue its rescue missions.
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy