Lesbos: Trial against 24 sea rescuers begins

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Accused swimmer Mardini: "I can speak for myself"

Photo:

ever countess / Getty Images

In the film, her story has a happy ending: "The Swimmers" is the name of the Netflix film adaptation, in which Sarah Mardini's spectacular life can be seen since November.

At least until 2016. Until then it is a story that encourages, a great drama that ends well in the end.

In the film you can see how the young Syrian and her sister Yusra become competitive swimmers in their home country and dream of the Olympics.

Then came the Syrian civil war, the young women had to flee, that was in 2015. The sisters tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea from the Turkish coast to the Greek island of Lesbos in a completely overloaded inflatable boat.

But the boat is about to sink.

Risking their lives, Sarah and Yusra swim for hours, pulling the boat with the 18 occupants behind them on a rope - and thus reach the shore of the European island.

What is shown afterwards consistently continues the hero's journey: Sarah Mardini makes it to Berlin, her sister to the Olympics, where she took part in the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 games as a member of a refugee team.

This is where the story ends on Netflix.

The accused face 25 years in prison

However, reality continued: Sarah Mardini returned to Greece several times, was involved in sea rescue and was arrested by the Greek authorities in August 2018.

They accuse Mardini and other helpers of espionage, human trafficking, money laundering, illegal use of radio frequencies and membership in a criminal organization.

The accused are said to have helped migrants enter Greece and also worked with organized smugglers.

The accused deny this.

Mardini and the co-defendant German-Irish lifeguard Séan Binder had already spent more than 100 days in custody in Greece in 2018.

If convicted, they now face up to 25 years in prison.

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Swimmers Yusra and Sarah Mardini

Photo: Michael Sohn/AP

Supporters of the activists point out that the rescue operations have been closely coordinated with the Greek authorities for years.

Mardini herself came to Greece several times before she was arrested.

She and the other 23 accused had to wait five years for the trial to begin.

After several delays, the trial begins this week, but Mardini himself cannot be present.

The Greek authorities have imposed an entry ban, the 27-year-old is considered a threat to national security.

A lawyer is representing her.

Despite the longstanding dispute, Mardini is trying to stand up to the allegations of continuing to defend her work as a sea rescuer.

If it were up to her, she would now be present in court herself.

"I wanted to defend myself," the swimmer explained in an interview with SPIEGEL some time ago.

“I didn't want others to represent me, even my own lawyers.

I can speak for myself.«

Human rights organizations and MEPs already regard the process as a farce.

In an open letter, a cross-party group of 71 parliamentarians called for an end to the investigation as early as 2021.

And an investigative report by the European Parliament described the process as “the biggest case of criminalizing refugee solidarity in Europe”.

Human Rights Watch speaks of a "politically motivated process" aimed at "intimidating aid organizations and preventing them from doing their work."

The accused only "did what any of us would do in their place," says Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International's regional director.

“Helping people who are at risk of drowning on one of Europe's deadliest sea routes is not a crime.

This trial shows that the Greek authorities are going to extremes to prevent humanitarian aid.”

Greece continues to play a central role in rejecting people at the EU's external borders.

Research by SPIEGEL and other media has repeatedly shown in recent years how international law and fundamental European values ​​were violated.

Seán Binder, one of Mardini's co-defendants, appeared in court in Lesvos on Tuesday, with the trial expected to resume on Friday.

In a statement, Binder said shortly beforehand: "I trust that justice will prevail and that we can lead normal lives again."

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