Malta NGOs condemn unlawful pushbacks to Libya

Four NGOs have condemned Malta’s involvement in coordinating pushbacks to Libya after a joint investigation by MaltaToday and media partners on a Libyan militia.

The Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, aditus Foundation, Moviment Graffitti and SAR (Search and Rescue) Malta Network demanded that Malta must stop carrying out pushbacks to Libya by proxy while ending all logistical cooperation with the Tareq Bin Zeyad, a Libyan militia engaged in trafficking and human rights violations.

A joint investigation by MaltaToday and media partners revealed that the Tareq Bin Zeyad has been carrying out ‘pullbacks’ to Libya from within the Maltese search and rescue zone. On at least one occasion, the Maltese army provided migrant coordinates to the militia.

“The Tareq Bin Zeyad Brigade continues to intercept people in distress at sea in Malta’s search and rescue zone and forcibly return them to Libya where they are subjected to systematic human rights abuses in contravention of the laws of the sea and international refugee law,” the NGOs said in a statement.

The groups are also demanding that Malta stops hosting Frontex operations at Malta International Airport, as this facilitates the interception and forced return to Libya of people in distress within Malta’s search and rescue zone.

They added that Malta must rescue people in distress in Malta’s search and rescue zone and process their claims for asylum without delay, in line with Malta’s responsibilities under international law.

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