News - Middle East: Italy is under fire for hindering the crucial sea rescue operations and the worsening migrant fatalities due to the strict immigration laws implemented in 2023.

A consortium of charitable organizations have linked the rise in the death of migrants since last year to a migration decree by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued in January 2023. The law imposed limitations over the operations of sea rescue organizations.
“In light of the increasing death toll in the Central Mediterranean since early 2023, coinciding with the adoption of a new law by Italian authorities and the systematic assignment of distant ports to humanitarian rescue ships, we call on the Italian government to bring an immediate halt to the obstruction of our life-saving activities at sea,” the groups said in a joint statement.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) says more than 2,600 migrants have died or went missing in the Central Mediterranean since February 2023, compared to just less than 1,600 during the February 2022-2023 period.
Groups running rescue ships in the Central Mediterranean, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Open Arms and Mediterranea Saving Humans, were among the 22 signatories of Thursday’s statement.
Meloni’s right-wing government came to power late October 2022. The administration introduced new regulations for migrant rescue ships in January 2023. Activists say it intentionally makes their job much harder and puts the migrants’ lives at risk.
The Italian decree also mandates that humanitarian vessels must promptly head to port following a rescue operation, instead of remaining at sea to search for other distressed migrants.
“In many cases, we must choose between complying with the Italian regulation while knowing we might leave behind people at risk of drowning, or fulfilling our legal duty to carry out rescues, and subsequently facing fines, detention and the possible confiscation of our ships,” the NGOs said.
The NGOs failing to adhere to the recent law in Italy may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,850 and the temporary confiscation of their vessel.