From what I can tell so far, the vaguely newish ideas in the #MigrationPact presented today are products of the same wishful thinking that created hellholes like Moria. It is wrong to think that chance of drowning at sea, or prospect of detention upon arrival, or possibility of quick deportation will deter people from trying to reach Europe. People take dangerous, risky migration journeys because they have to, not on a lark.

And now for a positive on the Migration Pact due out tomorrow. It would be really great if laid out a sensible and humane approach to border governance, with human rights as the starting point. A thread on what that could involve (A lot is here hrw.org/news/2018/06/1…) 1/X Commission Prez von der Leyen said recently “sea rescue is compulsory and not optional.” Yes! Hopefully the Pact lays out what exactly this looks like: EU rescue missions, support (not obstruction) for NGO rescue groups, timely disembarkation in places of safety. Yes? 2/X

I don’t know about you, but I’m on pins and needles over the Pact on Migration & Asylum coming out tomorrow. The European Commission has kept the draft under wraps, but they seem awfully excited about it. Thread 1/X I’m a little worried though. Starting with the imagery. We’ve gone From Fortress Europe to Heavily Guarded House. Commissioner Schinas said the proposal is like a 3-story house. euobserver.com/migration/1494… 2/X

It sounds like the Italian government will tweak but not scrap or even fundamentally change its 2017 agreement with Libya's Government of National Accord on migration. Here's a thread (not sure yet how long) on why this matters internazionale.it/bloc-notes/ann… The Italy-Libya Memorandum of Understanding was signed on February 2, 2017. It will renew automatically on February 2, 2020 for another three years unless either country notifies of changes by November 2, 2019 - this coming Saturday.

I struggle to understand how 290 MEPs could vote against saving lives at sea. The EP rejected today a statement in favor of European compassion, fairness and responsibility. Meanwhile, 104 people rescued by @SOSMedIntl and @MSF_Sea #OceanViking on Oct 18 are still waiting for a safe port where they can disembark

Il massimo che possiamo dire del vertice di oggi a Malta sullo sbarco e il trasferimento delle persone salvate nel Mediterraneo? Sembra un passo nella giusta direzione. @annalisacamilli @gadlernertweet @alessandrazinit @scandura @emavalenti @emmevilla Un accordo per garantire uno sbarco tempestivo di persone salvate in mare in un luogo sicuro è una buona cosa. Ma non conosciamo abbastanza dettagli per valutare se quello che si prevede sia un sistema equo e rispettoso dei diritti delle persone.

The most we can say about today's meeting in Malta on disembarkation & relocation of people rescued in the Mediterranean? It seems like a step in the right direction. Thread. @jasondhorowitz @MatinaStevis @tomkington @SchererSteve @RgalpinBBC @JosephineMcK @mathildemathieu @JuliaPascualita @abdulshaz An agreement to avoid senseless stand-offs at sea following NGO rescues in the Mediterranean & ensure timely timely disembarkation in a safe place is a good thing. We just don’t know enough details to assess whether this will be a fair system that respects people’s rights.

It’s still unclear what EXACTLY was agreed in the informal Paris meeting of EU interior ministers (without Italy’s Salvini) on migration in the Med yesterday. Here are some preliminary thoughts based on media reporting & the French govt’s statement. Thread 1/10 The meeting, called by Macron, seems like a step in the right direction, with 8 countries – France, Finland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Lithuania, Croatia, and Ireland – supporting a temporary relocation mechanism for people rescued at sea, with 6 more agreeing “in principle” 2/10

There are many uncertainties as Captain #CarolaRackete goes into a hearing this afternoon in Italy to determine her judicial fate. But some things are clear. Thread 1/10 @hrw @seawatchcrew Prosecutors should drop criminal charges against #CarolaRackete. Her actions were humanitarian, with no criminal intent. Criminalizing life-saving efforts is never the answer. 2/10

Opposition media in Italy are enjoying pointing out that the US has downgraded Italy's ranking in its annual trafficking in persons report, saying efforts to counter phenomenon were not as "serious and sustained" as previously state.gov/reports/2019-t… Key criticisms:
- decline in the number of trafficking arrests and investigation
- government did not consistently assess risks to potential victims prior to forced returns or expulsions to countries where victims would face retribution or hardship.

On #worldrefugeeday, it’s worth repeating the facts. Thread 1/14 @hrw @hrw Over 70 million people are forcibly displaced in the world today. A tiny, tiny fraction seek to reach Europe. unhcr.org/globaltrends20… 2/14

It's official: EU formally abdicates any semblance of responsibility for rescue in the Med. The anti-smuggling mission Operation #Sophia will continue but without boats in the water. Though adamantly not its mandate, Op #Sophia vessels saved 10s 1000s of lives. Thread. 1/7 As @emmevilla notes, Operation #Sophia hadn’t rescued anyone since July 2018. Why? By all accounts, because Italy, which commands the mission, made it clear they would refuse disembarkation in Italian ports. 2/7

https://twitter.com/emmevilla/status/1110910470783946753

L'eventuale sbarco delle personse abordo #LadySham potrebbe finire con la loro detenzione nel centro Karareem, vicino a Misurata. L'ho visitato a luglio, e ho sentito racconti di violenza dai detenuti, compresi una donna incinta hrw.org/it/news/2019/0… Kemi, una ragazza nigeriana incinta di sette mesi, mi ha detto che una guardia l’ha colpita con un tubo mentre scendeva le scale per prendere dell’acqua

If people on #LadySham are disembarked in Misrata, they will definitely be detained, possibly in al-Karareem center. In July last year we heard accounts of beatings, electric shocks, and isolation in a "lonely jail" hrw.org/news/2019/01/2… Kemi, a Nigerian woman 7-months' pregnant at the time, told me a guard beat her with a hose when she tried to get some water

Despite the precedents and the evident cynicism of the govts of Malta and Italy, I am still genuinely shocked that 49 rescued persons are still stranded in the wintery Mediterranean Sea aboard @seawatchcrew and @seaeyeorg boats. There are very young children on the #SeaWatch3. Food, water, other supplies are running out, morale is running low. A few days ago, a man jumped in the sea to SWIM to Malta (he was pulled back on board).

On 5th anniversary of #Lampedusa tragedy, 5 rights organizations appeal to European leaders to register the NGO rescue ship Aquarius so it can continue to save lives at sea #SaveAquarius hrw.org/news/2018/10/0… You can help #SaveAquarius and save lives! Sign the @SOSMedIntl @MSF_Sea petition you.wemove.eu/campaigns/save…

Leaked EU Council draft conclusion (bit.ly/2td7MvT) would pave the way for disembarkation centers outside of the EU. This raises concerns and serious questions. Read below @hrw's quick analysis of the proposal. Regional disembarkation agreements could help timely rescues, shared responsibility and more predictable procedure. But the devil is in details. Any regional agreement and its implementation must be consistent with human rights, refugee and maritime law.

7 reasons to worry about an impending Lega-5MS coalition government in Italy. These are preliminary thoughts focused on the migration and asylum provisions in the draft agreement. Many proposals reflect EU-level trends 1/7 On asylum, the parties want to implement accelerated border procedures and rejections based on lists of safe countries of origin and safe third countries, with language suggesting transit would be sufficient to return someone. Raises risk of unfair procedures, unsafe returns.

Have just read through the Italian judge’s decision to release Proactiva @openarms_fund's rescue ship. Here are some preliminary thoughts:

1/6 The decision only releases the ship from sequester. The charges against Proactiva crew remain

ansa.it/english/news/g… 2/6 Alarmingly, the judge asserts existence of Libyan search-and-rescue area & therefore legitimacy of Libyan intervention in that area, including intl waters. Judge also rightly says rescue only ends with disembarkation in a safe place & that Libya is not a safe place.

An @openarms_fund ship is desperately seeking a safe port to disembark persons rescued in the central Mediterranean. Malta has agreed to take a few medical cases, but has apparently denied disembarkation to everyone else on board Yesterday @openarms_fund had rescued 101 people in international waters despite attempt, with threats, by Libyan coast guard patrol boat 648 to intervene. Italian authorities gave Libyans the "on-scene command," despite precedents of reckless behavior.

Memorable bits from just the latest statements U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein. His moral clarity will be missed when he steps down in August.1/4 "Today oppression is fashionable again...and fundamental freedoms are in retreat in every region of the world...Xenophobes and racists in Europe are casting off any sense of embarrassment…have we all gone completely mad?" - February 26, 2018
ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/… 2/4