Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns of the potential harmful consequences of transferring the first group of people rescued at sea to Albania

• Italy’s migrant transfer strategy could undermine the fundamental rights of people rescued at sea
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Following the announcement that Italy has begun transferring people rescued at sea to two centres it has built in Albania, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)warns of the potential impact of this development on the well-being of survivors and their access to fundamental rights.

Italy’s latest strategy of outsourcing its responsibilities towards people seeking safetycould exacerbate the difficulties and human rights violations they already face. This development will prevent survivors from accessing proper asylum and vulnerability assessment procedures, constituting a breach of Italy’s obligations under international and European law.

The disembarkation of rescued people, deemed non-vulnerable, in Albania raises significant human rights concerns, particularly regarding the right to liberty, access to protection and adequate asylum procedures, as well as more practical issues, such as the identification of vulnerable individuals and the living conditions in reception centres in Albania.

“We know it is impossible to properly assess people’s vulnerabilities whilst we are on a ship on the high seas. It is something that requires resources that are only available on land,” stresses MSF’s search and rescue representative, Juan Matias Gil.

“MSF teams working in detention centres in Europe and beyond have observed a significant impact on people’s mental health resulting from the lack of freedom of movement. Prolonged and arbitrary detention continues to have severe consequences for migrants and asylum seekers,” adds Gil. “People seeking safety and protection continue to be exposed to inhumane conditions at the EU’s borders, with extremely limited access to information, appropriate services and protection.”