Executive Summary
- A Greek court acquitted 24 aid workers of charges including human trafficking, espionage, and money laundering.
- The presiding judge ruled that the volunteers’ actions were strictly humanitarian and not criminal in nature.
- Prosecutor Dimitris Smyrnis recommended the acquittal, citing a lack of evidence establishing criminal liability.
- The case was widely viewed by international rights groups as a test of the criminalization of humanitarian aid in Europe.
A Greek court on Thursday acquitted 24 aid workers of human trafficking and espionage charges, concluding a high-profile trial on the island of Lesbos that human rights groups had condemned as an attempt to criminalize humanitarian assistance. The defendants, who faced up to 20 years in prison, were volunteers for the Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI), a non-governmental organization assisting migrants crossing from Turkey between 2015 and 2018.
Presiding Judge Vassilis Papathanassiou delivered the verdict, stating that the defendants’ objective was “not to commit criminal acts but to provide humanitarian aid.” The ruling followed a recommendation for acquittal by Prosecutor Dimitris Smyrnis, who told the court that “no independent basis establishing the criminal liability of the defendants has been demonstrated.” Among those cleared were Sarah Mardini, a Syrian refugee and competitive swimmer whose story inspired a Netflix drama, and Sean Binder, a German-Irish national.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented testimony from a police officer regarding the group’s use of encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp to track migrant vessels, alleging this information was withheld from authorities. However, Stavros Gagarellis, a Greek Coast Guard officer, testified that the volunteers had coordinated their rescue efforts closely with official authorities. Judge Papathanassiou ruled that participating in an internet communication group “cannot be regarded as a criminal organization” and affirmed that waiting to rescue lives at sea does not constitute the facilitation of illegal entry.
Defense attorney Zacharias Kesses expressed frustration at the duration of the legal process, noting it took “2,889 days” for the prosecution to acknowledge the lack of evidence. Sean Binder, who spent months in pre-trial detention in 2018, described his reaction as a mix of relief and anger regarding the significant impact the allegations had on his personal and professional life. Eve Geddie of Amnesty International welcomed the decision as a signal that “solidarity, compassion and defending human rights should be protected and celebrated, not punished.”
Judicial Precedent and Policy Impact
This verdict establishes a critical legal precedent regarding the interpretation of humanitarian aid within the European Union’s external borders. By explicitly ruling that maritime rescue operations do not equate to human trafficking or the facilitation of illegal entry, the court has clarified the distinction between criminal smuggling networks and NGO-led safety operations. This decision directly addresses international concerns regarding the potential misuse of anti-trafficking statutes to deter volunteer activity in the Mediterranean. It is important to note that under the law, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty, a fundamental principle that was rigorously tested and ultimately upheld by the court’s final judgment in this case.
