The Human Rights Watch assured that European Union military action against human smuggling networks should not put the lives and rights of migrants and asylum seekers in jeopardy, Human Rights Watch said today. The Council of the European Union agreed on May 18, 2015 to create a naval operation, EUNAVFOR Med, to identify, capture, and destroy boats used by smugglers in the Mediterranean.
“Smugglers and traffickers often show a complete disregard for human life and dignity, and they should be held to account, but military action could expose migrants and asylum seekers to serious risks,”said Judith Sunderland, acting deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division. “Saving lives at sea and bringing people at risk in the Mediterranean safely to EU shores should be the top priority.”
The EU should assess carefully the short- and long-term human rights implications of any operation, including the risk that it will increase the dangers of boat migration in the Mediterranean, Human Rights Watch said. The EU should also assess the risk of trapping migrants and asylum seekers in Libya, where they are often subjected to violence and abuse and have no possibility of lodging asylum claims.