Activists urge authorities to drop El Hiblu 3 charges

Moviment Graffitti has called on Malta's Attorney General to dismiss all charges against the accused in the El Hiblu 3 case.

Koni Tiemoko Abdoul Khader, Amara Kromah, and Abdalla Bari were still teenagers in 2019 when they were charged with hijacking the El Hiblu 1, the oil tanker that had rescued them and 108 other people fleeing Libya from the sea.

Prosecutors claim the defendants had coerced the captain into not returning them to Libya, where they feared persecution and torture. The bill of indictment and corresponding charges were issued on November 8.

Graffitti stated that the Maltese authorities have subjected them to unfair charges, leading to ongoing delays and dehumanizing restrictions that have prevented them from leading normal lives. In a demonstration on Saturday, Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer was among the activists calling for the Attorney General to drop the charges.

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The call for justice has gained momentum both nationally and internationally, with over a thousand individuals and organizations signing an open letter delivered to the Attorney General by Moviment Graffitti in September. 

Amnesty International and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) are among those who’ve voiced their support for the cause.

Despite overwhelming support, Graffitti noted that there has been a notable absence of action or response from the Attorney General's office, leaving the public frustrated and urging for a resolution to this prolonged injustice. 

Moviment Graffitti reiterated its call for the Attorney General to act promptly and dismiss the charges against the El Hiblu 3.