HUMANITARIAN ACTS CANNOT BE CRIMINALISED

On January 15, 2026, a court on the Greek island of Lesvos acquitted all 24 humanitarian workers affiliated with ERCI (Emergency Response Centre International), a Greek nonprofit, bringing to an end an almost eight-year legal ordeal.

The presiding judge was clear – their intention was “not to commit criminal acts but to provide humanitarian aid.” The prosecutor recommended full acquittal, confirming their activity was 100% lawful.

Among those acquitted were Sarah Mardini and Seán Binder, internationally recognized humanitarian workers who became symbols of solidarity with refugees. Mardini’s story inspired the Netflix film “The Swimmers.”

Their “crime”? Spotting boats in distress. Coordinating rescues. Pulling drowning people from the sea. Saving lives.

For this, they faced charges of espionage, human trafficking, and forming a criminal organisation. They faced up to 20 years in prison. They spent over 100 days in pretrial detention. They lived 2,897 days under this shadow.

This case was never about justice.

This case was what human rights organisations have called “the largest case of criminalisation of solidarity in Europe” – a calculated attempt to silence witnesses to pushbacks and human rights violations at Europe’s borders.

And now comes this verdict as a powerful reminder: Saving lives is not a crime. It is an obligation.

To all 24: your courage through these years has been truly inspiring.

Yet the struggle continues. The prosecution had a devastating chilling effect – search and rescue organisations left Lesvos, volunteers were scared away, and people continued to drown. Just days before the verdict, a 7-year-old girl’s body was recovered on the shores of Samos.

As long as people are drowning and helpers are prosecuted, justice has not yet been served.