The penalty order against the Bavarian sea rescuer and captain Claus-Peter Reisch was canceled.
This was announced by an Italian court on Thursday.
Munich - A civil court in Ragusa has overturned the penal order against the German captain and refugee rescuer Claus-Peter Reisch.
The 60-year-old from Landsberg am Lech confirmed this to the German press agency.
The fine of 300,000 euros that was imposed on Reisch has thus been lifted.
The seizure of his ship "Eleonore" was also apparently lifted.
Sea rescuer Reisch: Italian court cancels penalty order
The penal order against Reisch in Italy was raised after the 60-year-old entered the port of Pozzallo in Sicily in September 2019 and thus opposed a port closure imposed by decree by the then Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini .
On board his ship, Reisch had more than 100 refugees whom he had rescued from the Mediterranean.
Due to the port lock, the crew and refugees had previously spent a week on the open sea.
“I am very satisfied with the ruling by the Ragusa court.
It shows that public and international law is above the will of a single minister, ”said Reisch in an official statement on Twitter after the verdict was pronounced.
"It can also be said that sea rescue and humanity are never a crime," continues the 60-year-old.
The verdict passed on Thursday is the first to lift the penalty for an offense that was enacted under Matteo Salvini's security decrees.
Italy: court lifts fine against sea rescuer Reisch - Salvini snubbed
Reisch's lawyers are also satisfied with the court's decision. The judgment makes it clear that one must stop “the stigmatization and criminalization and criminalization of acts of solidarity towards migrants and particularly vulnerable people”. For Reisch it is not the first acquittal as part of his engagement in the Mediterranean. The 60-year-old, who is known in the sea rescue scene, was also on trial in Malta for steering the ship “Lifeline” with more than 230 migrants into Maltese waters in June 2018. He was ultimately acquitted.
(fd / dpa)