A Greek court’s decision to drop criminal charges against dozens of international aid workers accused of espionage and facilitating the illegal entry of migrants into the country has been met with jubilation. “It’s very encouraging,” said Zacharias Kesses, an attorney defending some of the aid workers. Police argued the aid workers used encrypted messaging apps to provide smugglers with the geographical coordinates of landing areas so they could circumvent Greek coastguard patrols. Scores of migrant solidarity workers, including Sarah Mardini, the Syrian refugee immortalised in the Netflix film The Swimmers, have faced similar charges in Greece. Human rights groups unanimously described the accusations – levelled at 24 aid workers volunteering with the now-defunct Emergency Response Centre International – as “farcical”.

Source: The Guardian May 01, 2024 19:17 UTC