GENEVA – Geneva Human Rights and Justice GCHRJ called on all European countries to take their moral and legal responsibilities to find a safe harbor to rescue the ship “Aquarius”, which saved the life of 141 migrants in the Mediterranean three days ago.

GCHRJ stated in a press release that it was offended by the leaving the Aquarius ship stuck between Malta and the Italian island of Lampedusa after the rejection of the authorities in Malta and Italy to receive it.

The council stressed the responsibility of all European countries to find a solution and assume their responsibilities in order to find a safe harbor in the Mediterranean for refugees seeking safety and fleeing war, poverty and other poor conditions.

It warned of the danger of repeating what happened in last June when the Aquarius ship saved the life of 630 immigrants off the coast of Libya, but Italy refused to allow them to leave as well as the government of Malta, which kept them stuck for several days before berthing in a Spanish port.

The council stressed that the current situation completely contradicts the international maritime law and strengthens the racist view of immigrants in light of the growing access of populist governments in a number of European countries that refuse to accept refugees.

GCHRJ stressed that European countries are required more than any time before to silence all the voices of hatred and discrimination against refugees and immigrants and to take a firm stand against the phenomenon of xenophobia and violation of the rights of refugees and migrants resulting from a wave of extreme right-wing positions in Europe.