Conte takes legal line in Sea Watch row

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Image credit: Liberoquotidiano

OSAKA, Japan – Prime Minster Giuseppe Conte has expressed a commitment to stand by the letter of the law in the row over migrant-rescue boat Sea Watch’s decision to dock illegally in Lampedusa, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano.

 “The laws exist, whether you like them or not,” said Mr. Conte from the G20 summit currently being help in Osaka, Japan. Carola Rackete, the captain of the German NGO’s rescue boat which has been at sea for two weeks awaiting permission to dock, has been placed under house arrest.

 “If the investigators’ decisions are exaggerated, you must ask them, ask the magistrates,” he went on. “I do not want to replace the judiciary, who should apply the law.” Captain Rackete may face criminal charges for aiding illegal immigration, which could mean between three and 10 years in prison.

 His comments come after accusations by onlookers and the Guardia di Finanza (finance police) that Sea Watch put the lives of those in a police boat at risk. The police vessel attempted to block the docking of the ship when it entered Lampedusa harbour late Friday night. Sea Watch forced its way to the pier, where Captain Rackete was immediately arrested. The migrants disembarked in the morning.

 Sea Watch has since apologised to the Guardia di Finanza, repeating Captain Rackete’s explanation: “We absolutely did not want to harm the Guardia di Finanza,” said the crew of 16 in a statement.

 Captain Rackete said, through her lawyers, in an interview with Corriere della Sera: “The situation was hopeless. My goal was only to bring the exhausted and despairing people to shore. I was scared.” She related how the crew was forced take night watches to make sure none of the migrants, who can’t swim, jumped overboard.

 Sea Watch has been at the centre of a political storm for over two weeks. Having rescued 53 migrants from a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, it attempted to bring them to Italy but was denied the right to dock under Italy’s strict new Security Decree.

 Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has repeatedly led the campaign to deny them the right to come to Italy. Six countries - France, Germany, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Luxembourg - have said they are willing to take the migrants.  

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