Greek court frees fifteen unaccompanied Sudanese minors after trafficking charges
Fifteen unaccompanied Sudanese minors detained in Crete were acquitted by the court in Rethymno, which ruled they acted out of extreme necessity.
Fifteen unaccompanied Sudanese minors arrested in Crete faced charges of acting as human-smugglers, but a Rethymno tribunal acquitted them on the basis that they acted under extreme necessity. The defendants had been held for five months before the verdict. Under a 2014 Greek statute, any migrant accused of piloting a boat or vehicle with other migrants faces at least ten years in prison, with extra years added for each passenger.
NGOs report that police and coast guard frequently collect written testimonies without interpreters and that the individuals providing accusations are seldom called to testify. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the criminalisation of migrants in Greece.
Why it matters
The ruling underscores challenges in applying anti-smuggling laws to vulnerable migrant youths.
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