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ECRE

@theecre.bsky.social
1.3K followers 117 following 1.5K posts

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is an alliance of 126 NGOs protecting and advancing the rights of refugees, people seeking asylum and other forcibly displaced people in Europe. ecre.org

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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 7m
Between 10 and 15 September, Amnesty International collected testimonies from people still in Ceuta. From their investigation, it emerges that not only are people denied access to asylum procedures, but they are exposed to abuse.
euronews.com
Spain to investigate claims soldiers tortured migrants in Ceuta
Amnesty International says it has documented beatings, humiliations, summary expulsions and racial profiling in Ceuta and the Spanish government has ordered the military to identify any individuals po...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 23h
In case EU borders become overwhelmed, the real emergency is being able to guarantee the right to international protection, not to opt-out asylum policies.
euobserver.com
EU’s centre-right EPP seeks asylum opt-outs, as commission silent on new crisis rules
Political pressure for allowing EU asylum opt-outs continues to increase, as commission drafts vague new emergency rules in the wake of this summer's Ceuta episode.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Subscribe to #ECREPressReview for the latest updates on migration across Europe. Read it here: shorturl.at/1T3Qn
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"No Borders Between Us" A beam of hope in a time when governments prefer building fences and walls.
bluewin.ch
Thousands Demonstrate in Bern for Migrants' Rights
Several thousand people took part in a demonstration organized by the asylum and migration movement in Bern on Saturday. The rally was directed against stricter asylum laws and the marginalization of ...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Opposition to asylum centres is often presented as local anger. But political parties can help organise and amplify these protests. Meanwhile, in many towns, the problems people feared never happened and centres became part of the community.
fondspascaldecroos.org
How Vlaams Belang is Actively Orchestrating Local Protests Against Asylum Centres | Fonds Pascal Decroos
As soon as a new location is announced, the party’s MPs react in parliament and on social media. Within a few days, a protest follows, attended by party leaders, accompanied by leaflets, petitions and...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Some good news this week! A cap would be set each year to determine how many asylum applicants can enter the country through this scheme.
theguardian.com
UK to open new refugee resettlement routes for Afghan women and Palestinians
Exclusive: Move by Shabana Mahmood comes after closure of Afghan scheme last year but experts say numbers too small to deter Channel crossings
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This week's #ECREWeekly includes: ▪️Updates on Central Europe ▪️Updates on the Mediterranean And 📑Recent publications 📅Upcoming events 💼Open job vacancies 📢Ongoing campaigns 🪧Calls for courses, inputs, papers etc. 👉Link: shorturl.at/hD6v8
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Updates on Central Europe ▪️Civil society legal complaint about new quota system for family reunification in Austria ▪️Far right election successes increase fears for people with migrant backgrounds in Germany 🔗Full article: shorturl.at/ppkJ1
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
📢Call for volunteers! 📢 The Brussels Medibus, operated by Doctors of the World, will be operating around Brussels to provide food and care to asylum applicants and homeless people.
lesoir.be
Médecins du monde lance un appel aux volontaires pour le Médibus de Bruxelles
Médecins du monde recherche de nouveaux bénévoles pour son Médibus à Bruxelles, qui assure trois permanences hebdomadaires auprès de plus de 800 personnes par mois, dont beaucoup sans-abri.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.euractiv.com/news/exclusi... Here we go again...
euractiv.com
EXCLUSIVE: EU capitals eye changes to migration pact | Euractiv
The Pact on migration and asylum entered into force three months ago, but there are already calls for an overhaul
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Updates on the Mediterrenean ▪️Fewer arrivals but more deaths on migration routes ▪️Cyprus looks to migrant workers to replace repatriated Syrian refugees ▪️ Investigations into issuing of ‘fake’ medical certificates to help asylum applicants in Italy 🔗Full article: shorturl.at/hyTUp
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Racialised suspicion, profiling, and stereotyping are among the main risks associated with the digital aspects of the Return Regulation approved last June.
edri.org
What you need to know about the EU’s new digital deportation regime - European Digital Rights (EDRi)
On 17 June, the European Parliament approved the new deportation law (called the “Return” Regulation) which aims to track undocumented people down and deport them from the EU in large numbers. The Reg...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The president of SOS MEDITERRANÉE Italy was on board the Ocean Viking when the humanitarian vessel tried to rescue a boat with 80 people. Unfortunately, the Libyan Coast Guard arrived first, bringing them back to detention in Libya. Read the article for his full testimony.
repubblica.it
“Potevamo salvarli”: la testimonianza dalla Ocean Viking dopo il mancato salvataggio
Sono stati riportati in Libia prima che la nave di Sos Mediterranee potesse metterli in salvo. La ricostruzione del presidente che era a bordo
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Very good news today: the ICC has announced a date for El Hishri's trial. Let's remember that this is the first time a Libyan militia criminal has been charged with of crimes against humanity and war crimes, facing legal persecution. A little step forward to finally end EU-Libya cooperation.
refugeesinlibya.org
BREAKING: ICC SETS 4 MAY 2027 FOR OPENING OF EL HISHRI TRIAL
The International Criminal Court has set 4 May 2027 for the opening of Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri’s trial in The Hague. He faces 17 confirmed charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to alleged abuses against detainees at Mitiga Prison and the Mitiga Compound in Tripoli, marking the first Libya case before the ICC to advance to trial.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Ahead of next year's political elections, the Italian Prime Minister declares that “Italian children cannot feel like a minority in the classroom.” Since when have children become pawns in the electoral game? Foreigner children have all the rights to be fully integrated, not isolated.
politico.eu
Meloni promises to ban veils in Italian schools and limit foreign students
“Italian children cannot feel like a minority in the classroom,” the country’s PM said Sunday.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Subscribe to #ECREPressReview for the latest updates on migration across Europe. Read it here: shorturl.at/nrIYV
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Wealthy countries increasingly tell refugees to "stay closer to home” while cutting aid, resettlement and legal pathways. But if people cannot work, access services or secure status, what makes staying possible?
thenewhumanitarian.org
Wealthy countries want refugees close to home – but make it impossible
Governments are demanding less onward movement while dismantling the conditions that allow refugees to remain where they first find safety.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Wars and conflicts are among the main drivers of forced displacement. From Ukraine to Palestine and Afghanistan, diplomatic efforts to find lasting political solutions remain insufficient. If conflicts were to end, people would begin to rebuild their lives instead of being forced to flee them.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Good news of this week: the Greek Council of State declares the proposal of the NGO Registry unconstitutional. Civil society organisations should not be asked to publish information about their subscribers and donors on their websites; this would be against the right to freedom of association.
rsaegean.org
NGO Registry: Greek Council of State declares main tenets unconstitutional, refers case to the Court of Justice of the European Union - R.S.A.
The main tenets of the Greek legal framework on the NGO Registry of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum were declared unconstitutional by the Plenary of the Greek Council of State
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The EU’s Migration Pact already allows derogations in "crisis” and “instrumentalisation” cases, yet the Commission is already proposing another emergency framework to loosen asylum procedures. How many more exceptions before protection becomes the exception?
eutoday.net
EU prepares emergency migration framework for ‘weaponised’ border crises - https://eutoday.net
The European Commission is preparing a new emergency mechanism allowing temporary changes to normal migration procedures when EU borders face exceptional pressure or movements of people deliberately e...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This week's #ECREWeekly includes: ▪️Updates on the latest European asylum trends ▪️State of the Union 2026 And 📑Recent publications 📅Upcoming events 💼Open job vacancies 📢Ongoing campaigns 🪧Calls for courses, inputs, papers etc. 👉Link: shorturl.at/VBAux
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Latest European asylum trends On 10 September, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) published its mid-year report on the latest European asylum trends. 📚Find out more about it here: shorturl.at/qn6zS
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
#ECREWeekly State of the European Union 2026 On 16 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the annual State of the Union (SOTEU) speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. 🔗Read what she said about migration and asylum here: shorturl.at/pnmjA
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
#SOTEU: the day after. Civic society organisations have started sharing their reflection on what was said yesterday. "Children happen to be migrants, they are not migrants who happen to be children. We say the EU should never compromise on protecting children.”
savethechildren.net
SOTEU 2026 - Children are children first: Save the Children warns against EU's weakening of asylum safeguards
In today’s State of the European Union (SOTEU) address, President von der Leyen announced plans for a new European Emergency Response Framework.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Austria adopted another federal law restricting family reunification, limiting how many family members of refugees can enter the country. Read the full statement at the link below.
refugeerights.org
Civil Society Coalition Submits Complaint to European Commission Over New Austrian Quota System for Refugee Family Reunification | International Refugee Assistance Project
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
If there were more legal pathways available to reach Europe, smuggler's networks would not need to exist.
euobserver.com
The EU’s 15 year self-declared war against migrant smugglers is a deadly joke
Magnus Brunner, the EU migration commissioner, makes an impassioned plea to tackle migrant smugglers. The EU has been saying the same thing for the past 15 years, yet profits remain high and people co...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Subscribe to #ECREPressReview for the latest updates on migration across Europe. Read it here: shorturl.at/CWZsb
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The number of Ukrainians registered under temporary protection in Poland fell by around 106,500 - an 11% decrease - between April and early September 2026. These numbers are a result of both growing Anti-Ukrainian sentiment and restrictions on social benefits.
rferl.org
Ukrainian Refugee Numbers In Poland Are Plummeting, Here's Why
A dramatic decrease in Ukrainians registered under Poland's temporary protection residency status come amid rising ethnic tensions in the country over wartime history, and benefits granted to the newc...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Ahead of tomorrow's State of the Union speech, this is what we can expect about EU migration policy
euobserver.com
Von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech risks making border pushbacks ‘normal’ EU migration policy
Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce new migrant-busting proposals on Wednesday during her State of the Union speech in Strasbourg. Speculation is rising on what they could be, given the bloc ...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“We should under no circumstances speak about migration as an ‘invasion’" - IOM researcher says to the EUobserver. A very interesting article to remind ourselves to always fact-check conversation on migration
euobserver.com
[Interview] ‘Not everyone wants to come to Europe’, says IOM researcher warning against migration panic
From who cares for Europe’s elderly to who picks its crops, Pablo Rojas Coppari argues that closing regular migration routes today will silently undercut the continent’s own ageing societies tomorrow.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This week's #ECREWeekly includes: ▪️Updates on BALKAN ROUTE ▪️Updates on EU EASTERN BORDERS Plus ▪️AIDA comparative reports on detention And 📑Recent publications 📅Upcoming events 💼Open job vacancies 📢Ongoing campaigns 🪧Calls for courses, inputs, papers etc. 👉Link: eepurl.com/eKkXYoGuRX
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Update on EU EASTERN BORDERS ▪️Finland completes 200km border fence ▪️Finnish govt. planning to extend ‘Pushback Law’ ▪️Latvian NGO accuses govt. of repression ▪️Polish MPs approve extension of asylum ban ▪️NGO report highlights border deaths & disappearances Read it here: bit.ly/4xo6MCd
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Update on the Balkan Route Some highlights: ▪️NGO exposes violence in detention centre in Bulgaria ▪️NGOs express concern about possible ‘return hubs’ in the Western Balkans ▪️‘Crisis’ measures set to continue for another three months in Hungary 👉Read it here: shorturl.at/BigID
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Eritrea, Afghanistan, and Sudan: these are the main countries of origin of the people trying to reach the UK by crossing the Channel. These places cannot be considered safe at all. How can governments still think that people are not in need of seeking international protection?
theguardian.com
Drones, teargas, riot squads: why has the UK gone to war against asylum seekers already fleeing conflict? | Diane Taylor
Burnham and Macron have committed to going further in the crackdown on French beaches. But little is being done to offer refugees safe alternative routes, says human rights writer Diane Taylor
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Read the full statement from the Latvian NGO "Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem” - "I want to help refugees" regarding the suspension of the project “Cultural Diversity Festival as a Promoter of Co-creation and Integration" under the AMIF fund. This is another attack against a civil society organization.
gribupalidzetbegliem-lv.translate.goog
Valdība vēlas sodīt pilsoniskās sabiedrības organizāciju par darbu cilvēktiesību jomā – bīstams precedents demokrātijai - Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem
Biedrība “Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem” (GPB) 2026. gada 31. jūlijā ir nosūtījusi oficiālu atbildes vēstuli Kultūras ministrijai, ar ko apstrīd 2026. gada 30. jūlijā saņemto paziņojumu no ministrijas par Pa...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
POLITICO interviews the NGO @picumofficial.bsky.social to discuss new ways to talk about migration. How can migrant-rights groups cope with far-right narratives around migration?
politico.eu
Ceuta crisis forces Europe’s migrant-rights groups to rethink their playbook
The old appeals to solidarity are no longer working.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Subscribe to #ECREPressReview to read the latest updates on migration across Europe. Read it here: shorturl.at/Y0ZgD
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
When the far right is no longer just an ideological threat, but a political force winning elections, we need to act. The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt is a warning. People on the move are at risk.
reuters.com
Far-right triumph in eastern Germany leaves migrants questioning their future
Mamad Mohamad watched with mixed emotions as the far-right Alternative for ​Germany (AfD) swept to a historic victory on Sunday evening in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
As discussions continue about unlocking Hungary’s frozen EU funds, let’s not forget what these policies have cost people on the move. Since 2015, Hungary has erected border fences, restricted access to asylum procedures, resulting in violence and pushbacks, exploitation, disappearances and deaths.
euractiv.com
Hungary stands by controversial migration rules despite EU pressure | Euractiv
Prime minister hopes to recoup fines through EU budget as strict border controls extended in wake of Ceuta crisis
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Lithuania’s new interior minister has said "Border guards should be allowed to shoot at people trying to cross the border." As the EU’s new “crisis” framework enables extraordinary migration measures, researchers warn that these terms are being used to undermine migrants’ and refugees’ rights.
lrt.lt
On Lithuania’s border, Europe is chipping away at refugee rights
People began entering the EU from Belarus in the summer of 2021. They were soon routinely subjected to pushbacks – and t...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This week's #ECREWeekly includes: ▪️Updates on Spain ▪️Updates on the UK 📑Recent reports 📅Upcoming events 💼Open job vacancies 📢Ongoing campaigns 👉Link: shorturl.at/4BVi7
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Update on SPAIN Some highlights: ▪️Protestors in Ceuta burn shacks, vilify humanitarians ▪️Government asks EU agencies to support efforts in Ceuta ▪️EU set to increase migration support to Morocco 👉Read it here: shorturl.at/moKhv
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A couple of weeks ago, an investigation revealed that nearly 100 children were wrongly detained as adults under the UK-France “one in, one out” deal. Now, the UK is testing AI to assess the age of people seeking asylum. When children’s rights are at stake, safeguarding must come first.
odi.org
AI age assessment: why it puts child asylum-seekers at risk
Age assessment of unaccompanied young asylum-seekers is one of the most controversial aspects of the asylum system. Adding AI assessments to the mix only puts children at further risk.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
#ECREWeekly Update on the UK Some highlights: ▪️Polling suggests British public wants ‘more constructive debate’ on asylum ▪️Almost 100 children detained under ‘One in, one out’ Channel scheme 👉Read it here: shorturl.at/hUm47
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Protesters in Ceuta set fire to immigrant shacks, while also prevent the Red Cross from distributing food among the displaced people still living on the territory. This is not only an attack on them, but also an attack on humanitarian workers who are just trying to do their jobs.
elmundo.es
Manifestantes ceutíes prenden fuego a chabolas de los inmigrantes en la playa del Trampolín y la policía se interpone para evitar más incidentes
Mientras la Cruz Roja repartía alimentos, un pequeño grupo de vecinos ha asaltado una pequeña playa contigua al Trampolín para prender fuego a dos de las chabolas construidas...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Conversations about deportation centers outside the EU are still going, and ministers are meeting this Friday in Copenhagen. Just a couple of weeks ago, Amnesty International defined the Italy-Albania agreement as "disastrous", but the EU is still not ready to learn from previous mistakes.
euobserver.com
Denmark to host talks to push failed deportation centres abroad – again
The plan comes amid opposition from both Spain and France, noting similar previous efforts have failed to deliver results - at enormous financial and human expense.
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
What challenges affect people on the move? Subscribe to #ECREPressReview to read the latest updates on migration across Europe. 📚 Read it here: shorturl.at/sd5PR
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
65 years after the 1961 Convention, millions still live without a nationality - often denied access to basic rights and trapped in exclusion. Statelessness is preventable and solvable. What is needed is political will to ensure everyone has the right to belong.
unhcr.org
65 years after landmark Convention, UNHCR calls for renewed action to prevent statelessness | UNHCR
GENEVA – Sixty-five years since the conclusion of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for renewed political commitment to ensure that everyo...
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
All routes become dangerous if there are no safe legal pathways to reach Europe.
irishtimes.com
‘It was day 13 or 14 when people started dying’: More than 200 set sail for Europe. Only 36 survived
A harrowing story of death and survival on the Atlantic migration route from west Africa, ‘the deadliest in the world’
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ECRE @theecre.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
After the Sea Watch, the humanitarian vessel "Louise Michel" also fell into the radar of the Libyan coastguards. Another attempt of hindering search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean, while also putting at risk the lives of the staff who were on board. Will the EU remain silent?
libyaobserver.ly
ANSA: 42 migrants rescued, shots fired at 'Louise Michel’ ship
Italian news agency ANSA reported that 42 migrants arrived at the Italian port of Crotone after being rescued by the 'Louise Michel', a vessel operated by a German NGO in the central Mediterranean, fo...
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