Med crisis – urgent action needed from EU

Freedom from Torture response to the announcement of the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting today.

Susan Munroe, Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture, said:

"The EU Foreign Ministers who meet today are standing at the crossroads of life and death for the thousands of refugees who use the Mediterranean to flee deadly conflict and human rights violations such as torture in the Middle East and Africa.

Any more EU inertia is likely to lead to ever more shocking death tolls as individuals continue to risk the traffickers and drowning to seek refuge. The EU states should work in solidarity to offer a response that is urgent, co-ordinated and rooted in the international human rights framework.

In particular survivors of torture and other serious human rights violations are especially vulnerable. The EU response should ensure that the most traumatised are identified at an early stage in order that they can be helped.

The EU states should restore search and rescue operations and ensure prompt access to refugee determination and assessment processes so that survivors of torture are identified, protected and offered services in accordance with their right to rehabilitation. On no account must the EU resort to forcible returns of those rescued which is likely to drive them back into the hands of the traffickers or their persecutors.

With an eye on the upcoming UK General Election, Freedom from Torture calls on all the UK political parties to agree a cross-party consensus on the urgent need for the EU resumption of search and rescue. These grave humanitarian issues should be above party politics."