An Italian court acquitted former crew members of the Aquarius migrant rescue vessel who were accused of illicit waste trafficking. The charity SOS Mediterranee, which operated the ship, welcomed the ruling, stating all waste was handled according to regulations.
The acquittal of the Aquarius crew members on waste trafficking charges is a significant legal victory for migrant rescue charities operating in the Mediterranean, potentially easing the burden of legal scrutiny they face.
An Italian court has acquitted former crew members of the migrant rescue vessel Aquarius, who had been accused of illicit waste trafficking. The charges stemmed from a 2018 investigation by Sicilian prosecutors who alleged that waste generated during rescue operations in the central Mediterranean, including clothing, food, and medical refuse, was illegally disposed of to cut costs and posed a public health risk.
SOS Mediterranee, the charity that operated the Aquarius in partnership with Doctors without Borders (MSF), consistently denied any wrongdoing. The organization stated that all waste was handled in accordance with regulations and welcomed the acquittals, which were issued earlier this week.
Prosecutors had argued that the waste should have been classified as infectious sanitary waste, requiring special handling. Around 24 individuals were initially investigated in the case. MSF, in a separate statement, expressed hope that this ruling would lead to similar acquittals for its own staff facing comparable charges in a separate trial related to another rescue boat, the Vos Prudence.
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