On 11 June 2025, the Court of Appeal in Catanzaro, Italy, rejected the Italian government’s appeal against a ruling that had declared the detention of the rescue ship Humanity 1 unlawful. In that ruling, the Civil Court of Crotone had declared that the Libyan Rescue Coordination Centre and Coast Guard cannot be considered legitimate search and rescue actors. 

“Today’s decision marks an important milestone as the Italian government has once again failed in court to justify its illegitimate detention of non-governmental rescue ships and its cruel cooperation with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, which systematically violates the human rights of migrants and refugees,” comments Cristina Laura Cecchini, lawyer of SOS Humanity.  

“This is a significant victory for SOS Humanity and the civil fleet at large, while the Italian government has to answer to the illegitimacy of its own legislation.”  

Unlawful detention of Humanity 1 in March 2024 

In March 2024, the rescue ship of the search and rescue organisation SOS Humanity got sanctioned with 20 days of detention after disembarking 77 people rescued from distress at sea in Crotone, Calabria. The reason given: the crew had allegedly ignored instructions from the Libyan authorities and consequently endangered human lives. 

After SOS Humanity had been able to obtain the lifting of the detention in fast-track proceedings, the Civil Court of Crotone confirmed in June 2024 that the detention of Humanity 1 was unlawful. The court also found that the Libyan Rescue Coordination Centre and the so-called Libyan Coast Guard cannot be considered legitimate search and rescue actors in the Mediterranean. The Italian government appealed against this decision – and has now failed before the Court of Appeal in Catanzaro. 

Libyan actors are committing serious human rights violations – with European support  

SOS Humanity has been emphasising for years the illegitimacy of Libyan state actors in the Mediterranean, which was confirmed again yesterday by the court, and criticising their continued support by Europe:  

“The so-called Libyan Coast Guard has been funded by the EU and its Member States for years, even though it has been proven responsible for serious human rights violations and illegal returns of refugees to Libya,” says Mirka Schäfer, political expert at SOS Humanity. “Survivors on board the Humanity 1 regularly report severe torture, sexualised violence and exploitation by actors linked to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. European cooperation with these actors must be ended immediately.”