European Court censures Italy over African migrants
Strasbourg, 23 Feb – (ANA) - The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Italy violated the rights of Eritrean and Somali migrants by sending them back to Libya.
The 13 Eritreans and 11 Somalis were among a group of about 200 people who left Libya on three boats in 2009. Two of the 24 have since died.
The court ordered Italy to pay each migrant in the case 15,000 euros (£13,000; $20,000) in damages.
Last year Italy suspended a 2008 deal with Libya on sending migrants back.
The Grand Chamber judgment in the case of Hirsi Jamaa and Others v Italy found that the applicants had been exposed to the risk of ill-treatment in Libya and of repatriation to Somalia or Eritrea.
That was a violation of Article Three of the European Convention on Human Rights - prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment.
There was also a violation of Article Four of Protocol Four - prohibition of collective expulsions, according to the judges' unanimous ruling.
The Grand Chamber judgment is final, meaning it is legally binding on Italy. (ANA)
FA/ANA/23 February 2012---------