Episode 68: EU plans to criminalise solidarity with refugees
Release Date: 02/25/2025
Episode 69: ‘You don't have children anymore‘
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Arturo, captain of the refugee rescue ship Seapunk I. He's going to tell us all about the Seapunks activist group and its connection with punk rock music. He also tells us about a dramatic rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea in January, in which several people died. We also discuss how the Italian authorities force NGO ships to take the refugees to distant ports, and how this deliberately results in more refugee deaths. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: Mastodon: Bluesky: Instagram: ...
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Episode 68: EU plans to criminalise solidarity with refugees
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Yasha Maccanico a researcher and journalist at StateWatch, a UK-based charity focused on civil liberties, human rights and democracy in Europe. We talk about a proposed EU law that could make it easier for states to criminalise acts of solidarity with people on the move. Yasha also talks to us about abuses of state power in Europe under the guise of lowering immigration, the externalisation of the EU's borders in Africa, and much more. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: Mastodon: Bluesky: Instagram: ...
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Episode 67: Syria, Gaza, and European hostility to refugees
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Michaël Neuman from Doctors' Without Borders (MSF). He tells us about the charity's work in Syria, and how the fall of Bashar Assad's regime could affect this. We also discuss MSF's work in Gaza, Israel's ongoing genocide against the Palestinians and the fact that, unlike most conflicts, the people there have no escape. Michaël also tells us why MSF decided it needed to help asylum seekers in the UK, and why European governments have been far too quick to pause asylum claims for Syrians. ---Get in touch--- Twitter:...
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Episode 66: We found a child floating alone in the dark
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Katja and Matthias, co-founders of the refugee rescue group CompassCollective. They tell us how they operate their rescue ship, the Trotamar III, to document human rights violations and save lives in the central Mediterranean. They also tell us about the recent rescue of an 11-year-old-girl they found by chance floating alone at sea for 2 or 3 days. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: Mastodon: Bluesky: Instagram: [email protected] Support:...
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Episode 65: ‘A pain in the ass to inhumane authorities’
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Paul Wagner, the media officer for Sea-Watch's airborne operations. He tells us about the rescue organisation's reconnaissance missions over the central Mediterranean, the push and pullbacks they have witnessed at sea, and how the EU has refugee blood on its hands. He also tell us about the various ways the Italian government has tried to stop them from carrying out their human rights monitoring missions. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: Mastodon: Bluesky: Instagram: ...
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Episode 64: Pingpong pushbacks at the Poland-Belarus border
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode we speak with Ola, an activist from the Grupa Granica coalition in Poland about the situation for refugees, migrants and people-on-the-move at the country's border with Belarus. She tells us how border guards on both sides are mistreating people-on-the-move there, about the ping-pong pushbacks across the border, and how the country's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, plans to "temporarily" ban the human right to claim asylum. Ola also tells us about Grupa Granica's work supporting people-on-the-move with food, clothes and first aid, and how the authorities have...
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Episode 63: ‘You feel like the most wanted criminal in the world’
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Denny, a young refugee from Kashmir who was forced to flee his homeland almost 9 years ago. He is going to tell us about life in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, his journey through Europe, how he was mistreated by the authorities and supported by activists. We also talk about his time living in a squat in Bosnia, and how looking after a dog helped his mental state. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: Mastodon: Bluesky: Instagram: [email protected] Support: ...
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Epsode 62: The UK's mistreatment of Albanian asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Lauren Starkey, a campaigner and independent social worker who works with Albanian victims of human trafficking. Lauren is going to tell us how the British government decided that Albanian men shouldn't be granted asylum in the UK, even if they are victims of human trafficking. She tells us how this approach punishes victims of human trafficking, forces them to live in destitution, and threatens to send them back to an environment they were trafficked from. And we also have an addendum at the end of the episode, in which we...
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Episode 61: Labour, immigration raids, and far-right riots
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In this episode, we speak with Dan Sohege, director of the human rights advocacy organisation Stand For All. We've a new government here in the UK. So I thought it'd be a good idea to ask Dan to give us his analysis of the Labour's plans for asylum seekers. Dan tells us how Labour's plans to increase immigration raids will only make things worse for victims of trafficking. We also discuss the recent far-right riots happening across Britain and Northern Ireland, and how our media and politicians bear much of the blame for the violence. ---Get in touch--- ...
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Episode 60: Pylos Shipwreck – The Greek coastguards watched them drown
The Civil Fleet Podcast
In today's episode, we speak with Spyros, from the Free Pylos 9 campaign. He's going to tell us more about the Pylos Shipwreck, how the authorities refused to help the 750 people on the small fishing boat, and how it sank on June 14, 2023, when the Greek coastguards tried to tow it. Only 104 of the 750 people survived. Spyros also tells us about the nine survivors who were used as scapegoats for the disaster and jailed, about the campaign to free them, and how they were treated once they were acquitted. ---Get in touch--- Twitter: ...
info_outlineIn this episode, we speak with Yasha Maccanico a researcher and journalist at StateWatch, a UK-based charity focused on civil liberties, human rights and democracy in Europe.
We talk about a proposed EU law that could make it easier for states to criminalise acts of solidarity with people on the move.
Yasha also talks to us about abuses of state power in Europe under the guise of lowering immigration, the externalisation of the EU's borders in Africa, and much more.
---Get in touch---
Twitter: @FleetCivil
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social
Instagram: thecivilfleet
--- Show notes ---
For more on StateWatch, check out their work here: statewatch.org
Follow them on BlueSky: @statewatch.bsky.social
Ben misquotes the late left-wing politician Tony Benn, who once said: “The way a government treats refugees is very instructive, because it shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could get away with it.”
In fact, the phrase may have been misattributed to Tony Benn.
You can watch one of Tony Benn's most famous speeches against the US-UK' illegal invasion of Iraq, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ciGW7h7PI&ab_channel=PoliticsJOE
Yasha mentions the an independent media company Bristol Cable. You can read their work here: thebristolcable.org
Ben and Yasha talk briefly about the toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol in 2020. You can read more about that here; https://exhibitions.bristolmuseums.org.uk/the-colston-statue
Here's where you can find out more about Migreurop: https://migreurop.org/?lang=en
Ben mentions an episode of The Civil Fleet with Jihed, a Tunisian activist with Alarm Phone and Louise Michelle. Check out episode 48 for that.
For more on Frontex, the European Border and Coastguard Agency, check out episodes 54, 52, 50, 34, 31, 23, 15, 7 and 1
Ben mentions previous The Civil Fleet Podcast episodes with people who have been arrested and given ludicrous sentences for driving boats or cars across borders. Check out episodes:
56, which focuses on Homayoun Sabetara, a father who fled Iran to be reunited with his daughters in Germany and was sentenced to 18 years behind bars in Greece after he was forced to drive across the border.
53 with Nadia, a young refugee woman from Lebanon who husband was arrested by the Greek authorities and accused of human smuggling after spending 10 days adrift in the Mediterranean.
35 with Hanad, a Somalian refugee who was senteced to 142 years behind bars for trying to stop his boat from sinking in the Aegean Sea and saving the lives of 33 others
Here are the links Yasha sent:
EU: New migrant smuggling law to ensure criminalisation of solidarity (December 2024)
https://www.statewatch.org/analyses/2024/eu-new-migrant-smuggling-law-to-ensure-criminalisation-of-solidarity/
A new EU law on the criminalisation of migrant smuggling will be examined by the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. The Council is due to approve its position for negotiations with the European Parliament. The existing law has been criticised for failing to prevent the criminalisation of migration and acts of solidarity with migrants and refugees. The new text, obtained by Statewatch and published here, appears likely to worsen the situation.
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EU: Council lowers threshold for migrant smuggling prosecutions (July 2024, with PICUM)
https://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/july/eu-council-lowers-threshold-for-migrant-smuggling-prosecutions/
EU institutions are discussing proposed changes to the law criminalising the facilitation of irregular migration, which has also been used to criminalise migrants and individuals acting in solidarity with them. The Belgian Council presidency presented a revised draft to other EU member states at the end of May, which would simplify the criminalisation of irregular entry, amongst other things. The draft will serve as the basis for further discussions within the Council, with Hungary now in the presidency role until the end of this year.
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Viewpoint, Hindering humanitarianism: European Commission will not ensure
protection for those aiding sans-papiers, Chris Jones (April 2017)
https://www.statewatch.org/media/documents/analyses/no-311-facilitation-directive.pdf
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The shrinking space for solidarity with migrants and refugees: how the European Union and Member States target and criminalize defenders of the rights of people on the move (TNI, Yasha Maccanico, Ben Hayes, Samuel Kenny, Frank Barat, September 2018)
https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/web_theshrinkingspace.pdf
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Libya/elmasri: including full text of Shatz/Branco submission to the ICC against Italian ministers: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/february/italian-ministers-should-face-justice-for-freeing-fugitive-war-criminal-says-legal-complaint/
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Deportations (aka returns): http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/january/deportations-new-role-for-frontex-as-eu-pushes-for-more-voluntary-returns/
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“Outsourcing borders” externalisation bulletin project, bulletins and documents archive:
https://www.statewatch.org/outsourcing-borders-monitoring-eu-externalisation-policy/
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To challenge border militarisation (with partners, 2023/24), Telling the story of EU border militarisation,
https://www.statewatch.org/media/4000/eu-border-militarisation-narrative-guide.pdf
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Europe’s techno-borders (2023 with EuroMed Rights)
https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/europe-s-techno-borders/
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Frontex and interoperable databases: knowledge as power? (2023)
https://www.statewatch.org/frontex-and-interoperable-databases-knowledge-as-power/
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Empowering the police, removing protections: the new Europol Regulation (2022)
https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/empowering-the-police-removing-protections-the-new-europol-regulation/
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Interoperability, eu-LISA and the biometric state (2022)
Building the biometric state: Police powers and discrimination
https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/building-the-biometric-state-police-powers-and-discrimination/
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Background docs selection on interoperability and the EU JHA policy field
http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/interoperability-eu-big-brother-database/
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Secrecy and externalisation of EU border control (2022)
https://www.statewatch.org/media/3781/secrecy-and-externalisation-of-migration-control.pdf
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Renditions observatory
http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/rendition-the-use-of-european-countries-by-the-cia-for-the-transport-and-illegal-detention-of-prisoners/