Kuuntele The Civil Fleet Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Arturo, captain of the refugee rescue ship Seapunk I.    He's going to tell us all about the Seapunks activist group and its connection with punk rock music. He also tells us about a dramatic rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea in January, in which several people died.    We also discuss how the Italian authorities force NGO ships to take the refugees to distant ports, and how this deliberately results in more refugee deaths.   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil [https://x.com/FleetCivil]   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social [https://kolektiva.social/@civilfleet]   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thecivilfleet.bsky.social]   Instagram: thecivilfleet [https://www.instagram.com/thecivilfleet/]   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/] --- Show notes ---   For more on Seapunks, visit seapunks.de/en [https://seapunks.de/en]    Follow them on Instagram on: Sea Punks e.V [https://www.instagram.com/_seapunks/]    And on Bluesky here: @seapunks.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/seapunks.bsky.social]   For more on Sea-Watch, check out episodes: 43, 22, 7 and 1 of The Civil Fleet Podcast   Listen to episodes 48 and 20 for more on Louise Michel   For more on Iuventa, download episodes 54, 36, 24 and 2   For more on Refugee Rescue, see here: linktr.ee/RefugeeRescue [https://linktr.ee/RefugeeRescue]   Interviews with Alarm Phone activists are in episodes 48, 5 and 3   Check out our two interviews with Brendan Woodhouse in episodes 43 and 22

In this episode, we speak with Yasha Maccanico a researcher and journalist at StateWatch, a UK-based charity focused on civil liberties, human rights and democracy in Europe.    We talk about a proposed EU law that could make it easier for states to criminalise acts of solidarity with people on the move.   Yasha also talks to us about abuses of state power in Europe under the guise of lowering immigration, the externalisation of the EU's borders in Africa, and much more.    ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil [https://x.com/FleetCivil]   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social [https://kolektiva.social/@civilfleet]   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thecivilfleet.bsky.social]   Instagram: thecivilfleet [https://www.instagram.com/thecivilfleet/]   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/] --- Show notes ---   For more on StateWatch, check out their work here: statewatch.org [https://statewatch.org]   Follow them on BlueSky: @statewatch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/statewatch.bsky.social] Ben misquotes the late left-wing politician Tony Benn, who once said: “The way a government treats refugees is very instructive, because it shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could get away with it.” In fact, the phrase may have been misattributed to Tony Benn. You can watch one of Tony Benn's most famous speeches against the US-UK' illegal invasion of Iraq, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ciGW7h7PI&ab_channel=PoliticsJOE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ciGW7h7PI&ab_channel=PoliticsJOE]    Yasha mentions the an independent media company Bristol Cable. You can read their work here: thebristolcable.org [https://thebristolcable.org]   Ben and Yasha talk briefly about the toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol in 2020. You can read more about that here; https://exhibitions.bristolmuseums.org.uk/the-colston-statue [https://exhibitions.bristolmuseums.org.uk/the-colston-statue]   Here's where you can find out more about Migreurop: https://migreurop.org/?lang=en [https://migreurop.org/?lang=en]   Ben mentions an episode of The Civil Fleet with Jihed, a Tunisian activist with Alarm Phone and Louise Michelle. Check out episode 48 for that.    For more on Frontex, the European Border and Coastguard Agency, check out episodes 54, 52, 50, 34, 31, 23, 15, 7 and 1   Ben mentions previous The Civil Fleet Podcast episodes with people who have been arrested and given ludicrous sentences for driving boats or cars across borders. Check out episodes: 56, which focuses on Homayoun Sabetara, a father who fled Iran to be reunited with his daughters in Germany and was sentenced to 18 years behind bars in Greece after he was forced to drive across the border.  53 with Nadia, a young refugee woman from Lebanon who husband was arrested by the Greek authorities and accused of human smuggling after spending 10 days adrift in the Mediterranean.  35 with Hanad, a Somalian refugee who was senteced to 142 years behind bars for trying to stop his boat from sinking in the Aegean Sea and saving the lives of 33 others   Here are the links Yasha sent:   EU: New migrant smuggling law to ensure criminalisation of solidarity (December 2024) https://www.statewatch.org/analyses/2024/eu-new-migrant-smuggling-law-to-ensure-criminalisation-of-solidarity/ [https://www.statewatch.org/analyses/2024/eu-new-migrant-smuggling-law-to-ensure-criminalisation-of-solidarity/]   A new EU law on the criminalisation of migrant smuggling will be examined by the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. The Council is due to approve its position for negotiations with the European Parliament. The existing law has been criticised for failing to prevent the criminalisation of migration and acts of solidarity with migrants and refugees. The new text, obtained by Statewatch and published here, appears likely to worsen the situation. ----- EU: Council lowers threshold for migrant smuggling prosecutions (July 2024, with PICUM) https://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/july/eu-council-lowers-threshold-for-migrant-smuggling-prosecutions/  [https://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/july/eu-council-lowers-threshold-for-migrant-smuggling-prosecutions/] EU institutions are discussing proposed changes to the law criminalising the facilitation of irregular migration, which has also been used to criminalise migrants and individuals acting in solidarity with them. The Belgian Council presidency presented a revised draft to other EU member states at the end of May, which would simplify the criminalisation of irregular entry, amongst other things. The draft will serve as the basis for further discussions within the Council, with Hungary now in the presidency role until the end of this year.   -----   Viewpoint, Hindering humanitarianism: European Commission will not ensure protection for those aiding sans-papiers, Chris Jones (April 2017) https://www.statewatch.org/media/documents/analyses/no-311-facilitation-directive.pdf [https://www.statewatch.org/media/documents/analyses/no-311-facilitation-directive.pdf]   -----   The shrinking space for solidarity with migrants and refugees: how the European Union and Member States target and criminalize defenders of the rights of people on the move (TNI, Yasha Maccanico, Ben Hayes, Samuel Kenny, Frank Barat, September 2018) https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/web_theshrinkingspace.pdf [https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/web_theshrinkingspace.pdf]   -----   Libya/elmasri: including full text of Shatz/Branco submission to the ICC against Italian ministers: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/february/italian-ministers-should-face-justice-for-freeing-fugitive-war-criminal-says-legal-complaint/ [http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/february/italian-ministers-should-face-justice-for-freeing-fugitive-war-criminal-says-legal-complaint/]   -----   Secrecy: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/november/italy-has-nullified-the-right-to-transparency-regarding-borders/ [http://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/november/italy-has-nullified-the-right-to-transparency-regarding-borders/]   -----   Tunisia: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/november/tunisia-no-to-the-criminalisation-of-solidarity-with-migrants/ [http://www.statewatch.org/news/2024/november/tunisia-no-to-the-criminalisation-of-solidarity-with-migrants/]   -----   Deportations (aka returns): http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/january/deportations-new-role-for-frontex-as-eu-pushes-for-more-voluntary-returns/ [http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/january/deportations-new-role-for-frontex-as-eu-pushes-for-more-voluntary-returns/]   -----   Egypt: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/january/eu-police-cooperation-with-egypt-sacrifices-people-s-rights-and-freedoms-for-security/ [http://www.statewatch.org/news/2025/january/eu-police-cooperation-with-egypt-sacrifices-people-s-rights-and-freedoms-for-security/]   -----   “Outsourcing borders” externalisation bulletin project, bulletins and documents archive: https://www.statewatch.org/outsourcing-borders-monitoring-eu-externalisation-policy/ [https://www.statewatch.org/outsourcing-borders-monitoring-eu-externalisation-policy/]     -----   To challenge border militarisation (with partners, 2023/24), Telling the story of EU border militarisation, https://www.statewatch.org/media/4000/eu-border-militarisation-narrative-guide.pdf [https://www.statewatch.org/media/4000/eu-border-militarisation-narrative-guide.pdf]     -----   Europe’s techno-borders (2023 with EuroMed Rights) https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/europe-s-techno-borders/ [https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/europe-s-techno-borders/]    -----   Frontex and interoperable databases: knowledge as power? (2023) https://www.statewatch.org/frontex-and-interoperable-databases-knowledge-as-power/ [https://www.statewatch.org/frontex-and-interoperable-databases-knowledge-as-power/]    -----   Empowering the police, removing protections: the new Europol Regulation (2022) https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/empowering-the-police-removing-protections-the-new-europol-regulation/ [https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/empowering-the-police-removing-protections-the-new-europol-regulation/]    -----   Interoperability, eu-LISA and the biometric state (2022) Building the biometric state: Police powers and discrimination https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/building-the-biometric-state-police-powers-and-discrimination/ [https://www.statewatch.org/publications/reports-and-books/building-the-biometric-state-police-powers-and-discrimination/]   -----   Background docs selection on interoperability and the EU JHA policy field http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/interoperability-eu-big-brother-database/ [http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/interoperability-eu-big-brother-database/]    -----   Secrecy and externalisation of EU border control (2022) https://www.statewatch.org/media/3781/secrecy-and-externalisation-of-migration-control.pdf [https://www.statewatch.org/media/3781/secrecy-and-externalisation-of-migration-control.pdf]    -----   Renditions observatory http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/rendition-the-use-of-european-countries-by-the-cia-for-the-transport-and-illegal-detention-of-prisoners/ [http://www.statewatch.org/observatories/rendition-the-use-of-european-countries-by-the-cia-for-the-transport-and-illegal-detention-of-prisoners/]

In this episode, we speak with Michaël Neuman from Doctors' Without Borders (MSF).   He tells us about the charity's work in Syria, and how the fall of Bashar Assad's regime could affect this.    We also discuss MSF's work in Gaza, Israel's ongoing genocide against the Palestinians and the fact that, unlike most conflicts, the people there have no escape.   Michaël also tells us why MSF decided it needed to help asylum seekers in the UK, and why European governments have been far too quick to pause asylum claims for Syrians.    ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil [https://x.com/FleetCivil]   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social [https://kolektiva.social/@civilfleet]   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thecivilfleet.bsky.social]   Instagram: thecivilfleet [https://www.instagram.com/thecivilfleet/]   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/] --- Show notes ---   For more on MSF, visit: msf.org.uk [https://msf.org.uk]   Follow MSF UK on Twitter here: @MSF [https://x.com/MSF]   Check out MSF Crash's website here: msf-crash.org/en [https://msf-crash.org/en]   Michael refers to the cyclone which battered Mayotte in December. Read about MSF's work on teh Indian Ocean island here: https://msf.org.uk/article/cyclone-chido-how-msf-responding-mayotte-and-mozambique  [https://msf.org.uk/article/cyclone-chido-how-msf-responding-mayotte-and-mozambique]   For more on MSF's rescue ship, the Geo Barents, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Geo-Barents [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Geo-Barents]   AND, check out episode 14 of The Civil Fleet Podcast, with the ship's search-and-rescue team leader Riccardo Gatti and midwife Kira Smith.   Listen to episode 21 also, with MSF UK advocacy officer Sophie McCann.    This 2017 video by Vox is a fairly good summation of the differing sides in the Syrian Civil War: youtube.com/watch?v=JFpanWNgfQY&t=3s&ab_channel=Vox [https://youtube.com/watch?v=JFpanWNgfQY&t=3s&ab_channel=Vox]    Here is an excellent speech by the late journalist Robert Fisk in 2016 on the Arab Spring, Egypt, Isis, Iraq and the West's role in the Middle East: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gzq_uPzGfw&ab_channel=UCD-UniversityCollegeDublin [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gzq_uPzGfw&ab_channel=UCD-UniversityCollegeDublin]    Ben mentions a previous episode with Syrian refugee Hasan. Check out episode 25 of The Civil Fleet Podcast to hear that   For more on MSF's work in Gaza, see here: https://www.msf.org/gaza-israel-war [https://www.msf.org/gaza-israel-war]    Michael mentions an article in the Haaretz newspaper about Israeli soldiers killing any Palestinian person who crosses the Neztarim corridor. You can read that here: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-soldiers-expose-arbitrary-killings-and-rampant-lawlessness-in-gazas-netzarim-corridor/00000193-da7f-de86-a9f3-fefff2e50000 [https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-soldiers-expose-arbitrary-killings-and-rampant-lawlessness-in-gazas-netzarim-corridor/00000193-da7f-de86-a9f3-fefff2e50000]    That article is behind a paywall, unfortunately, BUT you can read about it here (for free!) on Middle East Eye: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hundreds-indiscriminately-shot-dead-israeli-soldiers-gaza-kill-zone [https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hundreds-indiscriminately-shot-dead-israeli-soldiers-gaza-kill-zone]    Michael mentions the siege of Mosul. For more on that, see here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/video-life-aftermath-war-mosul [https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/video-life-aftermath-war-mosul]    For more on MSF's work in the UK, particularly at the Wethersfield migrant containment centre, see here: https://msf.org.uk/article/explainer-why-msf-treating-people-seeking-asylum-uk [https://msf.org.uk/article/explainer-why-msf-treating-people-seeking-asylum-uk]    For more on the conditions inside Britain's migrant containment centres, check out episode 32 with journalist Bethany Rielly (then home affairs reporter at the Morning Star newspaper, now a co-editor at the New Internationalist)   For more on Doctors of the World, see here: https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk [https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/]    Ben mentions his exclusive articles revealing the number of deaths in UK Home Office Accommodation in 2022 and 2023. Read that here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/revealed [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/revealed]

In this episode, we speak with Katja and Matthias, co-founders of the refugee rescue group CompassCollective.      They tell us how they operate their rescue ship, the Trotamar III, to document human rights violations and save lives in the central Mediterranean.      They also tell us about the recent rescue of an 11-year-old-girl they found by chance floating alone at sea for 2 or 3 days.     ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil [https://x.com/FleetCivil]   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social [https://kolektiva.social/@civilfleet]   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thecivilfleet.bsky.social]   Instagram: thecivilfleet [https://www.instagram.com/thecivilfleet/]   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/]   Support:   ko-fi.com/civilfleet [https://ko-fi.com/civilfleet]   ---Show Notes---   For more on CompassCollective, see their website here: compass-collective.org/en/start [https://compass-collective.org/en/start]     Follow them on Twitter: @boat_spotting [https://x.com/boat_spotting]   Mastodon: @boatspotting@digitalcourage.social [https://digitalcourage.social/@boatspotting]   Facebook: facebook.com/compasscollectiv [https://facebook.com/compasscollectiv]     Insta: compasscollective_boatspotting [https://www.instagram.com/compasscollective_boatspotting/]     And YouTube: youtube.com/@Compass_Collective/videos [https://youtube.com/@Compass_Collective/videos]     For more on the Piantedosi Decree, see here: sosmediterranee.org/consequence-of-the-piantedosi-decree/ [https://sosmediterranee.org/consequence-of-the-piantedosi-decree/] And/or check out episode 65 or The Civil Fleet Podcast     For more on Sea-Watch and their reconnaissance planes, listen to episodes: 65, 43, 22, 7 and 1     For more on Alarm Phone, check out episodes 48, 5 and 3     For more on Maldusa, listen to episode 46

In this episode, we speak with Paul Wagner, the media officer for Sea-Watch's airborne operations.    He tells us about the rescue organisation's reconnaissance missions over the central Mediterranean, the push and pullbacks they have witnessed at sea, and how the EU has refugee blood on its hands.    He also tell us about the various ways the Italian government has tried to stop them from carrying out their human rights monitoring missions.     ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil [https://x.com/FleetCivil]   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social [https://kolektiva.social/@civilfleet]   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thecivilfleet.bsky.social]   Instagram: thecivilfleet [https://www.instagram.com/thecivilfleet/]   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/]   Support:   ko-fi.com/civilfleet [https://ko-fi.com/civilfleet]   ---Show Notes---   For more on Sea-Watch, visit: sea-watch.org/en [https://sea-watch.org/en]   For more on the Seabirds 1 & 2, see here: sea-watch.org/mission/airborne/ [https://sea-watch.org/mission/airborne/]   Follow Sea-Watch on Twitter on @seawatch_intl [https://twitter.com/seawatch_intl] Bluesky: @en.sea-watch.org  [https://bsky.app/profile/en.sea-watch.org] Instagram: seawatchcrew [https://www.instagram.com/seawatchcrew/]   Also, check out episodes 43, 22, 7 and 1 of The Civil Fleet Podcast for more on Sea-Watch.    Read more about Carola Rackete here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/italys-highest-court-confirms-ngo-captain-should-not-have-been-arrested-for-saving-refugee-lives/  [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/italys-highest-court-confirms-ngo-captain-should-not-have-been-arrested-for-saving-refugee-lives/]   For more on SOS Humanity, see episodes 55 and 31   Read The Civil Fleet's coverage of Sea-Watch here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Sea-Watch [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Sea-Watch]   For more on the Matteo Salvini kidnapping trial. see: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/15/italian-deputy-pm-matteo-salvini-faces-possible-six-years-in-prison-over-migrants-case [https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/15/italian-deputy-pm-matteo-salvini-faces-possible-six-years-in-prison-over-migrants-case]  It was SOS Humanity who rescued one person at sea in late October. They were then forced to sail to the distant port of Salerno, 870km, away from where the rescue took place. Read more about that here: twitter.com/soshumanity_en/status/1850235169568891033 [https://twitter.com/soshumanity_en/status/1850235169568891033]   You can read Ben's interbiew with Sea-Watch's Tamino Bohm, here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/the-libyan-coastguards-interceptions-of-refugees-couldnt-happen-without-europes-planes [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/the-libyan-coastguards-interceptions-of-refugees-couldnt-happen-without-europes-planes]   For more on the sip captain Paul metions who was arrested for handing people over to the Libya, see here: euronews.com/2021/10/14/italy-ship-captain-convicted-after-sending-101-migrants-to-libya-in-2018 [https://euronews.com/2021/10/14/italy-ship-captain-convicted-after-sending-101-migrants-to-libya-in-2018]   The merchant shop Ben talks about was the Maersk Etienne. You can read about that saga here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/09/13/forty-day-nightmare-finally-over-as-the-mare-jonio-brings-the-etienne-27-to-land [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/09/13/forty-day-nightmare-finally-over-as-the-mare-jonio-brings-the-etienne-27-to-land]   For more on the Maersk Etienne case, check out episodes 18 and 47   Read about Malta's treatment of the civilian rescuers here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Malta [https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Malta]   For more on the Pylos shipwreck, see Episodes 60 and 52   Paul mention's a testimony by Ibrahim Hsian, the son of Mohammed Hsian who drowned in the shipwreck of 2nd September 2024. You can read that here: sea-watch.org/en/my-father-was-a-unique-irreplaceable-person [https://sea-watch.org/en/my-father-was-a-unique-irreplaceable-person]