The captain and shipowner of the MARE JONIO, assisted by Lucia Gennari, Giulia Crescini and Cristina Cecchini, lawyers, lodged an urgent appeal with the Civil Court of Ragusa against the application of the fine and administrative detention of the ship, imposed by the Government after the 56 shipwrecked people were disembarked in Pozzallo rescued in international waters on 4 April.

The Court Registry has already registered the appeal, which has been assigned to the competent Judge for its handling. With this initiative MEDITERRANEANEA Saving Humans denounces the false reconstruction of the facts that has been proposed by self-styled 'Libyan authorities' and demands that the MARE JONIO be freed from the effects of the Piantedosi Decree as soon as possible.

In addition to the appeal to the Administrative Court against the unlawful detention, Mediterranea's legal team is working on a criminal complaint against the Libyan government, the so-called Libyan coast guard and the militiamen who were on board the patrol boat 658 "Fezzan", and who opened fire at rescuers and shipwrecked people in an attempt to prevent rescue operations, conducted in international waters almost 100 miles off the Libyan coast.

Pozzallo, 11th April 2024

Video of the rescue from aboard our rhib ABBA 1