The EU is Complicit in Migrants’ Horrific Fate in Libya

Refugees International President Eric Schwartz today issued the following statement in response to the airstrike on the Tajoura detention center in Tripoli:

“The airstrike that killed more than 40 people in the Tajoura detention center in Tripoli should shock the conscience of the world. According to the UN, at least 600 refugees and migrants were being held in that detention center, and around 3,300 refugees and migrants continue to be arbitrarily detained in detention centers in and around Tripoli. Many were taken to those detention centers following their interception by the Libyan coastguard as they tried to reach Europe by sea. 
 
“Make no mistake, this bombing could constitute a war crime. But we must also remember that the EU’s policies that support the return of migrants and refugees to Libya if they’re caught at sea are also responsible. The EU’s continued support to the Libyan Coast guard makes the EU and its governments complicit in the horrific fate they face in Libya. 
 
“Refugees International continues to urge the European Union states to cease their support to the Libyan Coast Guard. We call on EU states to urgently provide pathways to safety and protection out of Libya.”

For press inquiries, please contact Chris Allbritton at chris@refugeesinternational.org or +1 305 741 9886.