Italian justice is investigating Mediterranea Saving Humans, an NGO accused of having received money from the Danish shipping giant AP Moeller-Maersk after having taken in migrants stranded aboard one of its cargo ships, said Tuesday (March 2). media.
The organization denies.
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Maersk would have paid 125,000 euros to Idra, a company that oversees Mediterranea, just after the NGO recovered in September 27 migrants who had spent more than a month on one of the Danish carrier's cargo ships.
Migrant relief NGOs operating between Libya, Malta and Italy are often criticized in the peninsula, with some even accusing them of collusion with migrant smugglers.
So far, however, the evidence gathered in various cases has not led to a trial.
But several relief ships chartered by NGOs have been blocked by the Italian coast guard for security reasons.
On Monday, Mediterranea said it had been targeted by a “
vast police operation ordered by a prosecutor from the Ragusa (Sicily) public prosecutor's office, denouncing the“ personal crusade
”
of this prosecutor against NGOs.
She claimed to be accused of having organized her relief operations,
as plans to collect profits
, while stressing that these accusations
"are
based on speculation that will melt like snow in the sun
.
In a statement, AP Moeller-Maersk said it "had
not been contacted by the authorities in connection with this investigation
"
,
"
while saying it was
" ready to provide assistance at any time ".
The skipper of Mediterranea, his head of mission and the shipowner are suspected of criminal association aimed at promoting illegal immigration and violation of the maritime code, according to
La Repubblica
.
In September, Mediterranea's intervention made it possible to resolve the problem posed by the presence of migrants rescued by the cargo ship Maersk Etienne and stranded on board due to the refusal of Malta and Italy to welcome them.
The migrants were eventually transferred to the Mare Jonio de Mediterranea ship, and a month later Maersk made a payment to Mediterranea, according to
La Repubblica
.
According to the head of mission of the NGO Luca Casarini, quoted by the newspaper, this money had nothing to do "
with the activities of aid to migrants.
We can prove it
”.
He says that this money corresponded to a payment for a consultancy mission on the management of the ports.
