Aid workers cleared of human trafficking charges
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Twenty-four former aid workers in Greece, accused of human trafficking and other charges related to rescuing migrants on Lesbos, have been acquitted of all charges after a seven-year legal battle.
- The defendants, who worked for the Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI) between 2015 and 2018, were cleared because their actions were deemed humanitarian aid rather than criminal activity.
- The court ruled that rescuing migrants and sharing information via encrypted messaging did not constitute facilitation of illegal entry or membership in a criminal organization.
- The case drew widespread criticism from human rights groups as an attempt to criminalize humanitarian efforts, with Amnesty International calling the verdict a positive signal for protecting solidarity and compassion.
- Defendants expressed relief
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