Italy’s highest court has ruled that the country’s vessels cannot return rescued refugees to the North African country, widening the gap between the courts and parliament. Tunis, Tunisia – News that an Italian court had blocked the country’s vessels from returning refugees and migrants to Libya was welcomed by the tens of refugees and migrants camped in a crowded passage outside the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tunis. Armed gangs and militias have governed much of Libya since it emerged from the 2011 revolution that overthrew long-term dictator Muammar Gaddafi. “The Italian coastguard and government have long known that returning migrants to Libya would be unlawful, because of the conditions there. Rule by militiaAccording to a spokesperson for the IOM, there are 3,500 refugees being held in the official detention centres across western and eastern Libya.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 27, 2024 15:00 UTC