Sending sea migrants back to Libya is unlawful. A ruling by Italy's top appeals court on Feb 1 upheld earlier decisions by two lower courts. The Court of Cassation also upheld the conviction of the captain of an Italian towboat, Asso 28, who in 2018 rescued 101 migrants from a rubber dinghy and returned them to Libya. The rescue which had pregnant women and children were among the migrants took place in international waters about 105 km off Libya, according to the court. The Libya to Italy crossing is one of the most-used sea migration routes in the world.
