Greek Court Acquits Humanitarian Workers — A Victory for Humanity Over the Criminalization of Solidarity

The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement DAYANCH welcomes the decision of the court on the Greek island of Lesbos to acquit all 24 humanitarian workers who had been baselessly charged with serious crimes for saving the lives of migrants and refugees in the Aegean Sea. After a legal ordeal lasting over seven years, including arrests, pretrial detention, and continuous pressure, the volunteers of the Emergency Response Center International were fully cleared of all charges. These individuals were prosecuted solely for helping people in distress — men, women, and children fleeing war, persecution, and humanitarian crises. One of the acquitted defendants, Sara Mardini, stated after the verdict: “Saving lives is not a crime.” Despite Greek law explicitly exempting humanitarian assistance from criminal liability, prosecutors attempted for years to portray the volunteers as smugglers, members of a criminal organization, and even accused them of money laundering. This case became the largest example in Europe of the criminalization of solidarity. The Dangerous Impact of Repression The prosecution of humanitarian organizations has had a chilling effect, forcing search and rescue groups to suspend operations in the Aegean Sea. As a result, dozens of people have drowned, including a seven-year-old girl whose body was recovered in January. When governments persecute those who save lives, they become complicit in human tragedy. DAYANCH’s Position We emphasize that: ▪️ protecting human life must never be treated as a crime ▪️ prosecuting humanitarian workers violates international human rights standards ▪️ criminalizing solidarity undermines global refugee protection systems We support calls by human rights organizations to: — end repression against humanitarian workers — repeal laws restricting non-governmental organizations — stop illegal pushbacks and forced returns at borders Why This Matters for Turkmenistan For citizens of Turkmenistan who face repression, forced displacement, and lack of legal protection, this case demonstrates: 👉 even democratic states attempt to silence those who defend human rights 👉 solidarity is often framed as a threat to power 👉 but justice can prevail when truth is defended persistently Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement DAYANCH / Turkmenistan Saving lives is a duty of humanity. Punishing it is a crime against conscience.