Sea rescue is not a crime

Recent attempts to criminalise sea rescuers show one thing above all: the entry of migrants should be prevented by all means. In 2020, the Alan Kurdi and the Aita Mari, two civil sea rescue vessels, were confiscated in Palermo, and when the Alan Kukrdi was released, they were threatened that they would be arrested again next time. Italy, like Malta, has closed its ports because of the Corona crisis. But everyone has the right to life! Rescue at sea is not a crime!

Current projects

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Focus Morocco: The Asymmetry of EU Border Externalization

Morocco stands at the crossroads of the Western Mediterranean route. This umbrella project documents European externalization policies, exposing how the EU and the Spanish state enforce "Fortress Europe" through restrictive visa regimes, conditional development aid, and border violence in Ceuta and Melilla at the expense of the Global South.

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Rearmament via Algorithm: The New Dimension of EU Border Surveillance

The new article series by borderline-europe shines a light on the digital side of European border policy. Discover how artificial intelligence, biometrics, and drones are being deployed for invisible mass surveillance and exclusion.

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Central Mediterranean Info

borderline-europe started in March 2019 to put together information about the situation in the Central Mediterranean Sea for internal research reasons. ISome of the data are published here and on our social media channels.

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The Mediterranean: monitoring, research, identification

borderline-europe is involved in two very different MONITORING projects:

  • In ‘Detention, illegalisation and the so-called CEAS reform in southern Italy’, the focus is on the implementation of the European Pact on Migration at the EU's external border. The project started in September 2024.
  • "Invisible" is about the situation of refugees in Sicily.
  • Mem.Med is a cooperation project between many entities that carefully focus on the people who have not made it through the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. borderline-europe supports the project through volunteers.
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Situation of refugees and migrants in Italy

Here you can find our monthly Update on the situation in Italy "Scirocco - News in Brief" and further information on the situation of refugees and migrants in Italy.

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Sudan: Documentation of enforced disappearances

Enforced disappearance is a particularly insidious form of political repression. Political opponents are silenced and their entire social circle is intimidated. Together with the Africa Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, we document human rights violations involving cases of disappeared activists and migrants.

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